Augmented reality for guiding users to assets in iot applications

ABSTRACT

A wireless sensing system includes a first tape node and a second tape node. The first tape node has a low-power wireless-communications interface and an environmental sensor operable to capture and transmit a first set of environmental data of at least one environmental characteristic to the second tape node. The second node includes an environmental sensor, a low-power wireless-communication interface, a first processor, and a first memory communicatively coupled with the first processor, the first memory storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the first processor, cause the first processor to: capture a second set of environmental data; compute an environmental differential between the first set of environmental data and the second set of environmental data; compare the environmental differential to a predetermined environmental threshold; and transmit a notification to a client application of the wireless sensing system running on a client device of the wireless sensing system when the environmental differential exceeds the predetermined environmental threshold.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is continuation of pending U.S. patent application Ser.No. 17/449,934, filed Oct. 4, 2021, which claims priority to U.S. PatentApplication Ser. No. 63/087,225, titled “AUGMENTED REALITY FOR GUIDINGUSERS TO ASSETS IN IOT APPLICATION”, filed Oct. 4, 2020, all of whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

In scenarios where a large amount of machinery or other assets arestored for periods of time, it may be difficult to quickly identify andreact to emergent events. In particular, storage facilities having alarge number of assets such as machinery, electronic components, and thelike may be at increased risks for fires or other hazardous events thatgo unnoticed until significant damage to the assets has occurred.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a wireless sensing system includes a first tape nodeand a second tape node. The first tape node has a low-powerwireless-communications interface and an environmental sensor operableto capture and transmit a first set of environmental data of at leastone environmental characteristic to the second tape node. The secondnode includes an environmental sensor, a low-powerwireless-communication interface, a first processor, and a first memorycommunicatively coupled with the first processor, the first memorystoring machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the firstprocessor, cause the first processor to: capture a second set ofenvironmental data; compute an environmental differential between thefirst set of environmental data and the second set of environmentaldata; compare the environmental differential to a predeterminedenvironmental threshold; and transmit a notification to a clientapplication of the wireless sensing system running on a client device ofthe wireless sensing system when the environmental differential exceedsthe predetermined environmental threshold.

In another embodiment, a method guides a user to an event detected by afirst tape node of a wireless sensing system. The method includes:receiving, by the first tape node, a first set of environmental data ofat least one environmental characteristic, from a second tape node, thefirst environmental data corresponding to an environmentalcharacteristic proximate to the second tape node; capturing, by thefirst tape node, a second set of environmental data of the at least oneenvironmental characteristic proximate the first tape node; computing,by the first tape node, an environmental differential between the firstset of environmental data and the second set of environmental data;comparing the environmental differential with an environmentalthresholds; and transmitting a notification of the event at the locationof the first tape node to a client application running on an electronicdevice when at least one threshold is exceeded.

In another embodiment, a method guides a user to an event detected by afirst tape node of a wireless sensing system. The method includes:receiving, by a client application of the wireless sensing systemrunning on a client device, a notification, from a first tape node, thatan event has occurred, indicating that an environmental threshold hasbeen exceeded, the environmental threshold indicating that anenvironmental characteristic has affected an asset that a second tapenode is attached thereto; generating, by the client application, adigital representation of a map, within a graphical user interface (GUI)of the client device, that guides a user to a location of the event;generating, by the client application, a display within the GUI of theclient device, a graphical icon to represent a location of the event;responsive to the client device being within a proximity of either thefirst tape node or the second tape node, activating, by the clientapplication, a camera of the client device to capture livevideo-footage; and generating, within the GUI, an AR overlay on the livevideo-footage to indicates the location of the event.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a segment dispensed from a roll of anexample adhesive tape platform used to detect tampering of an asset,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic top view of a portion of the segment of theexample adhesive tape platform shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of an example of an envelope carrying asegment of an example adhesive tape platform dispensed from a backingsheet, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an example segment of an adhesive tapeplatform, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic top view of a length of an example adhesivetape platform, according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 6A-C show diagrammatic cross-sectional side views of portions ofdifferent respective adhesive tape platforms, according to anembodiment.

FIGS. 7A-C are diagrammatic top views of a length of an example trackingadhesive tape product, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of an example of a network environmentsupporting communications with segments of an adhesive tape platform,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a hierarchical communications networkincluding an adhesive tape platform, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a method of creating the hierarchicalcommunications network, according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 11A-E are diagrammatic views showing example use cases for adistributed agent operating system, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows one example network formed by a master agent attached toan asset, a secondary agent attached to a cabinet, and a tertiary agentattached to infrastructure, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a table of example attributes of three different types ofagents: a master agent, a secondary agent, and a tertiary agent,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example scenario of tapenodes of a wireless sensing system capturing differential data for anasset management application, in an embodiment.

FIG. 15A is an example screen shot of a user interface displaying a mapand directions that guide a user to an event detected by a wirelesssensing system, in an embodiment.

FIG. 15B is an example screen shot of a user interface using augmentedreality to display AR overlays to indicate an event detected by awireless sensing system, in an embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating one example method of an assetmanagement application for using differentials in tape node sensor datato detect an event, in an embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating one example method for generating anaugmented reality overlay on live video-footage of a client device toguide a user to an event when within a threshold distance of the event,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of an example computer apparatus, accordingto an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In some embodiments, the wireless IOT device is an adhesive tapeplatform or a segment thereof. The adhesive tape platform includeswireless transducing components and circuitry that perform communicationand/or sensing. The adhesive tape platform has a flexible adhesive tapeform-factor that allows it to function as both an adhesive tape foradhering to and/or sealing objects and a wireless sensing device.

In the following description, like reference numbers are used toidentify like elements. Furthermore, the drawings are intended toillustrate major features of exemplary embodiments in a diagrammaticmanner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of actualembodiments nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and arenot drawn to scale.

The present invention is not limited in any way to the illustratedembodiments. Instead, the illustrated embodiments described below aremerely examples of the invention. Therefore, the structural andfunctional details disclosed herein are not to be construed as limitingthe claims. The disclosure merely provides bases for the claims andrepresentative examples that enable one skilled in the art to make anduse the claimed inventions. Furthermore, the terms and phrases usedherein are intended to provide a comprehensible description of theinvention without being limiting.

In some contexts, the term “agent” may refer to a “node”, and an “agent”or “node” may be adhesively applied to a surface and denoted as a “tapenode” or “tape agent”. These terms may be used interchangeably,depending on the context. Further, the “agent” or “node” may have twoforms of hierarchy: one depending on the functionality of the “agent” or“node”, such as the range of a wireless communication interface, andanother depending on which “agent” or “node” may control another “agent”or “node”. For example, an agent with a low-power wireless-communicationinterface may be referred to a “master agent”.

In some embodiments, a low-power wireless communication interface mayhave a first wireless range and be operable to implement one or moreprotocols including Zigbee, near-field communication (NFC), BluetoothLow Energy, Bluetooth Classic, Wi-Fi, and ultra-wideband. For example,the low-power wireless-communication interface may have a range ofbetween 0 and 300 meters or farther, depending on the implementedprotocol. The communication interface implementation, e.g., Zigbee orBluetooth Low Energy, may be selected based upon the distance ofcommunication between the low-power wireless-communication interface andthe recipient, and/or a remaining battery level of the low-powerwireless-communication interface.

An agent with a medium-power wireless communication-interface may bereferred to as a “secondary agent”. The medium-power wirelesscommunication interface may have a second wireless range and be operableto implement one or more protocols including Zigbee, Bluetooth LowEnergy interface, LoRa. For example, the medium-powerwireless-communication interface may have a range of between 0 and 20kilometers. The communication interface implementation, e.g., Zigbee,Bluetooth Low Energy, or LoRa, may be selected based upon the distanceof communication between the medium-power wireless-communicationinterface and the recipient, and/or a remaining battery level of themedium-power wireless-communication interface.

An agent with a high-power wireless communication-interface may bereferred to as a “tertiary agent”. The high-power wireless communicationinterface may have a third wireless range and be operable to implementone or more protocols including Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy, LoRa,Global System for Mobile Communication, General Packet Radio Service,cellular, near-field communication, and radio-frequency identification.For example, the high-power wireless-communication interface may have aglobal range, where the high-power wireless-communication interface maycommunicate with any electronic device implementing a similarcommunication protocol. The communication interface protocol selectedmay depend on the distance of communication between the high-powerwireless-communication interface and a recipient, and/or a remainingbattery level of the high-power wireless-communication interface.

In some examples, a secondary agent may also include a low-powerwireless-communication interface and a tertiary agent may also includelow and medium-power wireless-communication interfaces, as discussedbelow with reference to FIGS. 7A-C and/or 8A-C. Further continuing theexample, a “master agent”, a “secondary agent”, or a “tertiary agent”may refer to a “master tape node”, a “secondary tape node”, or a“tertiary tape node”.

With regard to the second form of hierarchy, the “agent”, “node”, “tapeagent”, and “tape node”, may be qualified as a parent, child, or master,depending on whether a specific “agent” or “node” controls another“agent” or “node”. For example, a master-parent agent controls themaster-child agent and a secondary or tertiary-parent agent controls amaster-child agent. The default, without the qualifier of “parent” or“child” is that the master agent controls the secondary or tertiaryagent Further, the “master tape node” may control a “secondary tapenode” and a “tertiary tape node”, regardless of whether the master tapenode is a parent node.

Further, each of the “agents”, “nodes”, “tape nodes”, and “tape agents”may be referred to as “intelligent nodes”, “intelligent tape nodes”,“intelligent tape agents”, and/or “intelligent tape agents” or anyvariant thereof, depending on the context and, for ease, may be usedinterchangeably.

An adhesive tape platform includes a plurality of segments that may beseparated from the adhesive product (e.g., by cutting, tearing, peeling,or the like) and adhesively attached to a variety of different surfacesto inconspicuously implement any of a wide variety of different wirelesscommunications-based network communications and transducing (e.g.,sensing, actuating, etc.) applications. In certain embodiments, eachsegment of an adhesive tape platform has an energy source, wirelesscommunication functionality, transducing functionality (e.g., sensor andenergy harvesting functionality), and processing functionality thatenable the segment to perform one or more transducing functions andreport the results to a remote server or other computer system directlyor through a network (e.g., formed by tape nodes and/or other networkcomponents). The components of the adhesive tape platform areencapsulated within a flexible adhesive structure that protects thecomponents from damage while maintaining the flexibility needed tofunction as an adhesive tape (e.g., duct tape or a label) for use invarious applications and workflows. In addition to single functionapplications, example embodiments also include multiple transducers(e.g., sensing and/or actuating transducers) that extend the utility ofthe platform by, for example, providing supplemental information andfunctionality relating characteristics of the state and/or environmentof, for example, an article, object, vehicle, or person, over time.

Systems and processes for fabricating flexible multifunction adhesivetape platforms in efficient and low-cost ways also are described in USPatent Application Publication No. US-2018-0165568-A1. For example, inaddition to using roll-to-roll and/or sheet-to-sheet manufacturingtechniques, the fabrication systems and processes are configured tooptimize the placement and integration of components within the flexibleadhesive structure to achieve high flexibility and ruggedness. Thesefabrication systems and processes are able to create useful and reliableadhesive tape platforms that may provide local sensing, wirelesstransmitting, and positioning functionalities. Such functionalitytogether with the low cost of production is expected to encourage theubiquitous deployment of adhesive tape platform segments and therebyalleviate at least some of the problems arising from gaps inconventional infrastructure coverage that prevent continuous monitoring,event detection, security, tracking, and other logistics applicationsacross heterogeneous environments.

As used herein, the term “or” refers an inclusive “or” rather than anexclusive “or.” In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in thespecification and claims mean “one or more” unless specified otherwiseor clear from the context to refer the singular form.

The terms “module,” “manager,” “component”, and “unit” refer tohardware, software, or firmware, or a combination thereof.

The term “tape node” refers to an adhesive tape platform or a segmentthereof that is equipped with sensor, processor, memory, energysource/harvesting mechanism, and wireless communications functionality,where the adhesive tape platform (also referred to herein as an“adhesive product” or an “adhesive tape product”) has a variety ofdifferent form factors, including a multilayer roll or a sheet thatincludes a plurality of divisible adhesive segments. Once deployed, eachtape node can function, for example, as an adhesive tape, label,sticker, decal, or the like, and as a wireless communications device.

The terms “adhesive tape node,” “wireless node,” or “tape node” may beused interchangeably in certain contexts, and refer to an adhesive tapeplatform or a segment thereof that is equipped with sensor, processor,memory, energy source/harvesting mechanism, and wireless communicationsfunctionality, where the adhesive product has a variety of differentform factors, including a multilayer roll or a sheet that includes aplurality of divisible adhesive segments. Once deployed, each tape nodeor wireless node can function, for example, as an adhesive tape, label,sticker, decal, or the like, and as a wireless communications device. A“peripheral” tape node or wireless node, also referred to as an outernode, leaf node, or terminal node, refers to a node that does not haveany child nodes.

In certain contexts, the terms “parcel,” “envelope,” “box,” “package,”“container,” “pallet,” “carton,” “wrapping,” and the like are usedinterchangeably herein to refer to a packaged item or items.

In certain contexts, the terms “wireless tracking system,” “hierarchicalcommunications network,” “distributed agent operating system,” and thelike are used interchangeably herein to refer to a system or network ofwireless nodes.

This specification describes a low-cost, multi-function adhesive tapeplatform with a form factor that unobtrusively integrates the componentsuseful for implementing a combination of different asset tracking andmanagement functions and also is able to perform a useful ancillaryfunction that otherwise would have to be performed with the attendantneed for additional materials, labor, and expense. In an aspect, theadhesive tape platform is implemented as a collection of adhesiveproducts that integrate wireless communications and sensing componentswithin a flexible adhesive structure in a way that not only provides acost-effective platform for interconnecting, optimizing, and protectingthe components of the tracking system but also maintains the flexibilityneeded to function as an adhesive product that can be deployedseamlessly and unobtrusively into various asset management and trackingapplications and workflows, including person and object trackingapplications, and asset management workflows such as manufacturing,storage, shipping, delivery, and other logistics associated with movingproducts and other physical objects, including logistics, sensing,tracking, positioning, warehousing, parking, safety, construction, eventdetection, road management and infrastructure, security, and healthcare.In some examples, the adhesive tape platforms are used in variousaspects of asset management, including sealing assets, transportingassets, tracking assets, monitoring the conditions of assets,inventorying assets, and verifying asset security. In these examples,the assets typically are transported from one location to another bytruck, train, ship, or aircraft or within premises, e.g., warehouses byforklift, trolleys etc.

In disclosed examples, an adhesive tape platform includes a plurality ofsegments that can be separated from the adhesive product (e.g., bycutting, tearing, peeling, or the like) and adhesively attached to avariety of different surfaces to inconspicuously implement any of a widevariety of different wireless communications-based networkcommunications and transducing (e.g., sensing, actuating, etc.)applications. Examples of such applications include event detectionapplications, monitoring applications, security applications,notification applications, and tracking applications, includinginventory tracking, asset tracking, person tracking, animal (e.g., pet)tracking, manufactured parts tracking, and vehicle tracking. In exampleembodiments, each segment of an adhesive tape platform is equipped withan energy source, wireless communication functionality, transducingfunctionality, and processing functionality that enable the segment toperform one or more transducing functions and report the results to aremote server or other computer system directly or through a network oftapes. The components of the adhesive tape platform are encapsulatedwithin a flexible adhesive structure that protects the components fromdamage while maintaining the flexibility needed to function as anadhesive tape (e.g., duct tape or a label) for use in variousapplications and workflows. In addition to single function applications,example embodiments also include multiple transducers (e.g., sensingand/or actuating transducers) that extend the utility of the platformby, for example, providing supplemental information and functionalityrelating characteristics of the state and or environment of, forexample, an article, object, vehicle, or person, over time.

Systems and processes for fabricating flexible multifunction adhesivetape platforms in efficient and low-cost ways also are described. Inaddition to using roll-to-roll and/or sheet-to-sheet manufacturingtechniques, the fabrication systems and processes are configured tooptimize the placement and integration of components within the flexibleadhesive structure to achieve high flexibility and ruggedness. Thesefabrication systems and processes are able to create useful and reliableadhesive tape platforms that can provide local sensing, wirelesstransmitting, and positioning functionalities. Such functionalitytogether with the low cost of production is expected to encourage theubiquitous deployment of adhesive tape platform segments and therebyalleviate at least some of the problems arising from gaps inconventional infrastructure coverage that prevent continuous monitoring,event detection, security, tracking, and other asset tracking andmanagement applications across heterogeneous environments.

FIG. 1 shows an example adhesive tape-agent platform 112, includingwireless transducing circuit 114, used to seal a package 110 forshipment. In this example, a segment 113 of the adhesive tape-agentplatform 112 is dispensed from a roll 116 and affixed to the package110. The adhesive tape-agent platform 112 includes an adhesive side 118and a non-adhesive surface 120. The adhesive tape-agent platform 112 maybe dispensed from the roll 116 in the same way as any conventionalpacking tape, shipping tape, or duct tape. For example, the adhesivetape-agent platform 112 may be dispensed from the roll 116 by hand, laidacross the seam where the two top flaps of the package 110 meet, and cutto a suitable length either by hand or using a cutting instrument (e.g.,scissors or an automated or manual tape dispenser). Examples of suchtape agents include tape agents having non-adhesive surface 120 thatcarry one or more coatings or layers (e.g., colored, light reflective,light absorbing, and/or light emitting coatings or layers). Further, thesegment 113 may include an identifier 122 (e.g., a QR code, RFID chip,etc.) that may be used to associate the segment 113 with the package110, as discussed below.

FIG. 2 shows the non-adhesive surface 120 of the segment 113 of theadhesive tape agent platform 112 of FIG. 1 including writing or othermarkings that convey instructions, warnings, or other information to aperson or machine (e.g., a bar code reader), or may simply be decorativeand/or entertaining. For example, different types of adhesive tape-agentplatforms may be marked with distinctive colorations to distinguish onetype of adhesive tape agent platform from another. In the illustratedexample in FIG. 2 , the segment 113 of the adhesive tape agent platform112 includes an identifier 122 (e.g., a two-dimensional bar code, suchas a QR Code), written instructions 124 (e.g., “Cut Here”), and anassociated cut line 126 that indicates where the user should cut theadhesive tape agent platform 112. The written instructions 124 and thecut line 126 typically are printed or otherwise marked on the topnon-adhesive surface 120 of the adhesive tape agent platform 112 duringmanufacture. The identifier 122 (e.g., a two-dimensional bar code), onthe other hand, may be marked on the non-adhesive surface 120 of theadhesive tape agent platform 112 during the manufacture of the adhesivetape agent platform 112 or, alternatively, may be marked on thenon-adhesive surface 120 of the adhesive tape agent platform 112 asneeded using, for example, a printer or other marking device.

To avoid damaging the functionality of the segments of the adhesive tapeagent platform 112, the cut lines 126 may demarcate the boundariesbetween adjacent segments at locations that are free of any activecomponents of the wireless transducing circuit 114. The spacing betweenthe wireless transducing circuit 114 and the cut lines 126 may varydepending on the intended communication, transducing and/or adhesivetaping application. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1 , the length ofthe adhesive tape-agent platform 112 that is dispensed to seal thepackage 110 corresponds to a single segment of the adhesive tape-agentplatform 112. In other examples, the length of the adhesive tape-agentplatform 112 needed to seal a package or otherwise serve the adhesivefunction for which the adhesive tape-agent platform 112 is being appliedmay include multiple segments 113 of the adhesive tape-agent platform112, one or more of which segments 113 may be activated upon cutting thelength of the adhesive tape-agent platform 112 from the roll 116 and/orapplying the segment 113 of the adhesive tape agent platform to thepackage 110.

In some examples, the wireless transducing circuits 114 embedded in oneor more segments 113 of the adhesive tape-agent platform 112 areactivated when the adhesive tape agent platform 112 is cut along the cutline 126. In these examples, the adhesive tape-agent platform 112includes one or more embedded energy sources (e.g., thin film batteries,which may be printed, or conventional cell batteries, such asconventional watch style batteries, rechargeable batteries, or otherenergy storage device, such as a super capacitor or charge pump) thatsupply power to the wireless transducing circuit 114 in one or moresegments of the adhesive tape-agent platform 112 in response to beingseparated from the adhesive tape-agent platform 112 (e.g., along the cutline 126).

In some examples, each segment 113 of the adhesive tape agent platform112 includes its own respective energy source. In some embodiments, theenergy source is a battery of a type described above, an energyharvesting component or system that harvests energy from theenvironment, or both. In some of these examples, each energy source isconfigured to only supply power to the components in its respectiveadhesive tape platform segment regardless of the number of contiguoussegments that are in a given length of the adhesive tape-agent platform112. In other examples, when a given length of the adhesive tape agentplatform 112 includes multiple segments 113, the energy sources in therespective segments 113 are configured to supply power to the wirelesstransducing circuit 114 in all of the segments 113 in the given lengthof the adhesive tape agent platform 112. In some of these examples, theenergy sources are connected in parallel and concurrently activated topower the wireless transducing circuit 114 in all of the segments 113 atthe same time. In other examples, the energy sources are connected inparallel and alternately activated to power the wireless transducingcircuit 114 in respective ones of the segments 113 at different timeperiods, which may or may not overlap.

FIG. 3 shows an example adhesive tape platform 330 that includes a setof adhesive tape platform segments 332 each of which includes arespective set of embedded wireless transducing circuit components 334,and a backing sheet 336 with a release coating that prevents theadhesive segments 332 from adhering strongly to the backing sheet 336.Each adhesive tape platform segment 332 includes an adhesive side facingthe backing sheet 336, and an opposing non-adhesive side 340. In thisexample, a particular segment 332 of the adhesive tape platform 330 hasbeen removed from the backing sheet 336 and affixed to an envelope 344.Each segment 332 of the adhesive tape platform 330 can be removed fromthe backing sheet 336 in the same way that adhesive labels can beremoved from a conventional sheet of adhesive labels (e.g., by manuallypeeling a segment 332 from the backing sheet 336). In general, thenon-adhesive side 340 of the segment 332 may include any type ofwriting, markings, decorative designs, or other ornamentation. In theillustrated example, the non-adhesive side 340 of the segment 332includes writing or other markings that correspond to a destinationaddress for the envelope 344. The envelope 344 also includes a returnaddress 346 and, optionally, a postage stamp or mark 348.

In some examples, segments of the adhesive tape platform 112 aredeployed by a human operator. The human operator may be equipped with amobile phone or other device that allows the operator to authenticateand initialize the adhesive tape platform 112. In addition, the operatorcan take a picture of a parcel including the adhesive tape platform andany barcodes associated with the parcel and, thereby, create apersistent record that links the adhesive tape platform 12 to theparcel. In addition, the human operator typically will send the pictureto a network service and/or transmit the picture to the adhesive tapeplatform 112 for storage in a memory component of the adhesive tapeplatform 112.

In some examples, the wireless transducing circuit components 34 thatare embedded in a segment 332 of the adhesive tape platform 112 areactivated when the segment 332 is removed from the backing sheet 336. Insome of these examples, each segment 332 includes an embedded capacitivesensing system that can sense a change in capacitance when the segment332 is removed from the backing sheet 336. As explained in detail below,a segment 332 of the adhesive tape platform 330 includes one or moreembedded energy sources (e.g., thin film batteries, common disk-shapedcell batteries, or rechargeable batteries or other energy storagedevices, such as a super capacitor or charge pump) that can beconfigured to supply power to the wireless transducing circuitcomponents 334 in the segment 332 in response to the detection of achange in capacitance between the segment 332 and the backing sheet 336as a result of removing the segment 332 from the backing sheet 336.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the components of an example wirelesstransducing circuit 410 (e.g., an agent) that includes one or morewireless communication modules 412, 414. Each wireless communicationmodule 412, 414 includes a wireless communication circuit 413, 416, andan antenna 415, 418, respectively. Each wireless communication circuit413, 416 may represent a receiver or transceiver integrated circuit thatimplements one or more of GSM/GPRS, Wi-Fi, LoRa, Bluetooth, BluetoothLow Energy, Z-wave, and ZigBee. The wireless transducing circuit 410also includes a processor 420 (e.g., a microcontroller ormicroprocessor), a solid-state atomic clock 421, at least one energystore 422 (e.g., non-rechargeable or rechargeable printed flexiblebattery, conventional single or multiple cell battery, and/or a supercapacitor or charge pump), one or more sensing transducers 424 (e.g.,sensors and/or actuators, and, optionally, one or more energy harvestingtransducers). In some examples, the conventional single or multiple cellbattery may be a watch style disk or button cell battery that is in anassociated electrical connection apparatus (e.g., a metal clip) thatelectrically connects the electrodes of the battery to contact pads onthe wireless transducing circuit 410.

Sensing transducers 424 may represent one or more of a capacitivesensor, an altimeter, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a temperaturesensor, a strain sensor, a pressure sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, aweight sensor, an optical or light sensor (e.g., a photodiode or acamera), an acoustic or sound sensor (e.g., a microphone), a smokedetector, a radioactivity sensor, a chemical sensor (e.g., an explosivesdetector), a biosensor (e.g., a blood glucose biosensor, odor detectors,antibody based pathogen, food, and water contaminant and toxindetectors, DNA detectors, microbial detectors, pregnancy detectors, andozone detectors), a magnetic sensor, an electromagnetic field sensor, ahumidity sensor, a light emitting units (e.g., light emitting diodes anddisplays), electro-acoustic transducers (e.g., audio speakers), electricmotors, and thermal radiators (e.g., an electrical resistor or athermoelectric cooler).

Wireless transducing circuit 410 includes a memory 426 for storing data,such as profile data, state data, event data, sensor data, localizationdata, security data, and/or at least one unique identifier (ID) 428associated with the wireless transducing circuit 410, such as one ormore of a product ID, a type ID, and a media access control (MAC) ID.Memory 426 may also store control code 430 that includesmachine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor 420,cause processor 420 to perform one or more autonomous agent tasks. Incertain embodiments, the memory 426 is incorporated into one or more ofthe processor 420 or sensing transducers 424. In other embodiments,memory 426 is integrated in the wireless transducing circuit 410 asshown in FIG. 6A-C. The control code 430 may implement programmaticfunctions or program modules that control operation of the wirelesstransducing circuit 410, including implementation of an agentcommunication manager that manages the manner and timing of tape agentcommunications, a node-power manager that manages power consumption, anda tape agent connection manager that controls whether connections withother nodes are secure connections (e.g., connections secured by publickey cryptography) or unsecure connections, and an agent storage managerthat securely manages the local data storage on the wireless transducingcircuit 410. In certain embodiments, a node connection manager ensuresthe level of security required by the end application and supportsvarious encryption mechanisms. In some examples, a tape agent powermanager and communication manager work together to optimize the batteryconsumption for data communication. In some examples, execution of thecontrol code by the different types of nodes described herein may resultin the performance of similar or different functions.

FIG. 5 is a top view of a portion of an example flexible adhesive tapeplatform 500 that shows a first segment 502 and a portion of a secondsegment 504. Each segment 502, 504 of the flexible adhesive tapeplatform 500 includes a respective set 506, 508 of the components of thewireless transducing circuit 410 of FIG. 4 . The segments 502, 504 andtheir respective sets of components 506, 508 typically are identical andconfigured in the same way. In some other embodiments, however, thesegments 502, 504 and/or their respective sets of components 506, 508are different and/or configured in different ways. For example, in someexamples, different sets of the segments of the flexible adhesive tapeplatform 500 have different sets or configurations of tracking and/ortransducing components that are designed and/or optimized for differentapplications, or different sets of segments of the flexible adhesivetape platform may have different ornamentations (e.g., markings on theexterior surface of the platform) and/or different (e.g., alternating)lengths.

An example method of fabricating the adhesive tape platform 500according to a roll-to-roll fabrication process is described inconnection with FIGS. 5A-5C and as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7C of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/842,861, filed Dec. 14, 2017, theentirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The instant specification describes an example system of adhesive tapeplatforms (also referred to herein as “tape nodes”) that can be used toimplement a low-cost wireless network infrastructure for performingmonitoring, tracking, and other asset management functions relating to,for example, parcels, persons, tools, equipment and other physicalassets and objects. The example system includes a set of three differenttypes of tape nodes that have different respective functionalities anddifferent respective cover markings that visually distinguish thedifferent tape node types from one another. In one non-limiting example,the covers of the different tape node types are marked with differentcolors (e.g., white, green, and black). In the illustrated examples, thedifferent tape node types are distinguishable from one another by theirrespective wireless communications capabilities and their respectivesensing capabilities.

FIG. 6A shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an examplesegment 640 of a flexible adhesive tape agent platform (e.g., platform502 of FIG. 5 ) that includes a respective set of the components of thewireless transducing circuit 410 corresponding to the first tape-agenttype (e.g., white). The segment 640 includes an adhesive layer 642, anoptional flexible substrate 644, and an optional adhesive layer 646 onthe bottom surface of the flexible substrate 644. When the bottomadhesive layer 646 is present, a release liner (not shown) may be(weakly) adhered to the bottom surface of the adhesive layer 646. Incertain embodiments where adhesive layer 646 is included, the adhesivelayer 646 is an adhesive (e.g., an acrylic foam adhesive) with ahigh-bond strength that is sufficient to prevent removal of the segment640 from a surface on which the adhesive layer 646 is adhered to withoutdestroying the physical or mechanical integrity of the segment 640and/or one or more of its constituent components.

In certain embodiments including the optional flexible substrate 644,the optional flexible substrate 644 is a prefabricated adhesive tapethat includes the adhesive layers 642 and 646 and the optional releaseliner. In other embodiments including the optional flexible substrate644, the adhesive layers 642, 646 are applied to the top and bottomsurfaces of the flexible substrate 644 during the fabrication of theadhesive tape platform. The adhesive layer 642 may bond the flexiblesubstrate 644 to a bottom surface of a flexible circuit 648, thatincludes one or more wiring layers (not shown) that connect theprocessor 650, a low-power wireless-communication interface 652 (e.g., aZigbee, Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) interface, or other low powercommunication interface), a clock and/or a timer circuit 654,transducing and/or transducer(s) 656 (if present), the memory 658, andother components in a device layer 660 to each other and to the energystorage device 662 and, thereby, enable the transducing, tracking andother functionalities of the segment 640. The low-powerwireless-communication interface 652 typically includes one or more ofthe antennas 415, 418 and one or more of the wireless communicationcircuits 413, 416 of FIG. 4 . The segment 640 may further include aflexible cover 690, an interfacial region 692, and a flexible polymerlayer 694.

FIG. 6B shows a cross-sectional side-view of a portion of an examplesegment 670 of a flexible adhesive tape agent platform (e.g., platform502 of FIG. 5 ) that includes a respective set of the components of thewireless transducing circuit 410 corresponding to a second tape-agenttype (e.g., green). The segment 670 is similar to the segment 640 shownin FIG. 6A but further includes a medium-power communication-interface672′ (e.g., a LoRa interface) in addition to the low-powercommunications-interface 652. The medium-power communication-interface672′ has a longer communication range than the low-powercommunication-interface 652′. In certain embodiments, one or more othercomponents of the segment 670 differ from the segment 640 infunctionality or capacity (e.g., larger energy source). The segment 670may include further components, as discussed above and below withreference to FIGS. 6A, and 6C.

FIG. 6C shows a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an examplesegment 680 of the flexible adhesive tape-agent platform that includes arespective set of the components of the wireless transducing circuit 410corresponding to the third tape-node type (e.g., black). The segment 680is similar to the segment 670 of FIG. 6B, but further includes ahigh-power communications-interface 682″ (e.g., a cellular interface;e.g., GSM/GPRS) in addition to a low-power communications-interface652″, and may include a medium-power communications-interface 672″. Thehigh-power communications-interface 682″ has a range that providesglobal coverage to available infrastructure (e.g. the cellular network).In certain embodiments, one or more other components of the segment 680differ from the segment 670 in functionality or capacity (e.g., largerenergy source).

FIGS. 6A-6C show embodiments in which the flexible covers 690, 690′,690″ of the respective segments 640, 670, and 680 include one or moreinterfacial regions 692, 692′, 692″ positioned over one or more of thetransducers 656, 656′, 656″. In certain embodiments, one or more of theinterfacial regions 692, 692′, 692″ have features, properties,compositions, dimensions, and/or characteristics that are designed toimprove the operating performance of the platform for specificapplications. In certain embodiments, the flexible adhesive tapeplatform includes multiple interfacial regions 692, 692′, 692″ overrespective transducers 656, 656′, 656″, which may be the same ordifferent depending on the target applications. Interfacial regions mayrepresent one or more of an opening, an optically transparent window,and/or a membrane located in the interfacial regions 692, 692′, 692″ ofthe flexible covers 690, 690′, 690″ that is positioned over the one ormore transducers and/or transducers 656, 656′, 656″. Additional detailsregarding the structure and operation of example interfacial regions692, 692′, 692″ are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.62/680716, filed Jun. 5, 2018, and US Provisional Patent Application No.62/670712, filed May 11, 2018.

In certain embodiments, a planarizing polymer 694, 694′, 694″encapsulates the respective device layers 660, 660′, 660″ and therebyreduces the risk of damage that may result from the intrusion ofcontaminants and/or liquids (e.g., water) into the device layer 660,660′, 660″. The flexible polymer layers 694, 694′, 694″ may alsoplanarize the device layers 660, 660′, 660″. This facilitates optionalstacking of additional layers on the device layers 660, 660′, 660″ andalso distributes forces generated in, on, or across the segments 640,670, 680 so as to reduce potentially damaging asymmetric stresses thatmight be caused by the application of bending, torquing, pressing, orother forces that may be applied to the segments 640, 670, 680 duringuse. In the illustrated example, a flexible cover 690, 690′, 690″ isbonded to the planarizing polymer 694, 694′, 694″ by an adhesive layer(not shown).

The flexible cover 690, 690′, 690″ and the flexible substrate 644, 644′,644″ may have the same or different compositions depending on theintended application. In some examples, one or both of the flexiblecover 690, 690′, 690″ and the flexible substrate 644, 644′, 644″ includeflexible film layers and/or paper substrates, where the film layers mayhave reflective surfaces or reflective surface coatings. Compositionsfor the flexible film layers may represent one or more of polymer films,such as polyester, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), andother plastics. The optional adhesive layer on the bottom surface of theflexible cover 690, 690′, 690″ and the adhesive layers 642, 642′, 642″,646, 646′, 646″ on the top and bottom surfaces of the flexible substrate644, 644′, 644″ typically include a pressure-sensitive adhesive (e.g., asilicon-based adhesive). In some examples, the adhesive layers areapplied to the flexible cover 690, 690′, 690″ and the flexible substrate644, 644′, 644″ during manufacture of the adhesive tape-agent platform(e.g., during a roll-to-roll or sheet-to-sheet fabrication process). Inother examples, the flexible cover 690, 690′, 690″ may be implemented bya prefabricated single-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and theflexible substrate 644, 644′, 644″ may be implemented by a prefabricateddouble-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape; both kinds of tape may bereadily incorporated into a roll-to-roll or sheet-to-sheet fabricationprocess. In some examples, the flexible substrate 644, 644′, 644″ iscomposed of a flexible epoxy (e.g., silicone).

In certain embodiments, the energy storage device 662, 662′, 662″ is aflexible battery that includes a printed electrochemical cell, whichincludes a planar arrangement of an anode and a cathode and batterycontact pads. In some examples, the flexible battery may includelithium-ion cells or nickel-cadmium electro-chemical cells. The flexiblebattery typically is formed by a process that includes printing orlaminating the electro-chemical cells on a flexible substrate (e.g., apolymer film layer). In some examples, other components may beintegrated on the same substrate as the flexible battery. For example,the low-power wireless-communication interface 652, 652′, 652″ and/orthe processor(s) 650, 650′, 650″ may be integrated on the flexiblebattery substrate. In some examples, one or more of such components also(e.g., the flexible antennas and the flexible interconnect circuits) maybe printed on the flexible battery substrate.

In examples of manufacture, the flexible circuit 648, 648′, 648″ isformed on a flexible substrate by one or more of printing, etching, orlaminating circuit patterns on the flexible substrate. In certainembodiments, the flexible circuit 648, 648′, 648″ is implemented by oneor more of a single-sided flex circuit, a double access or back-baredflex circuit, a sculpted flex circuit, a double-sided flex circuit, amulti-layer flex circuit, a rigid flex circuit, and a polymer-thick filmflex circuit. A single-sided flexible circuit has a single conductorlayer made of, for example, a metal or conductive (e.g., metal filled)polymer on a flexible dielectric film. A double access or back baredflexible circuit has a single conductor layer but is processed so as toallow access to selected features of the conductor pattern from bothsides. A sculpted flex circuit is formed using a multi-step etchingprocess that produces a flex circuit that has finished copper conductorsthat vary in thickness along their respective lengths. A multilayer flexcircuit has three of more layers of conductors, where the layerstypically are interconnected using plated through holes. Rigid flexcircuits are a hybrid construction of flex circuit consisting of rigidand flexible substrates that are laminated together into a singlestructure, where the layers typically are electrically interconnectedvia plated through holes. In polymer thick film (PTF) flex circuits, thecircuit conductors are printed onto a polymer base film, where there maybe a single conductor layer or multiple conductor layers that areinsulated from one another by respective printed insulating layers.

In the example segments 640, 670, 680 shown in FIGS. 6A-6C, the flexiblecircuit 648, 648′, 648″ represents a single-access flex-circuit thatinterconnects the components of the adhesive tape platform on a singleside of the flexible circuit 648, 648′, 648″. However, in otherembodiments, the flexible circuit 648, 648′, 648″ represents a doubleaccess flex circuit that includes a front-side conductive pattern thatinterconnects the low-power communications interface 652, 652′, 652″,the timer circuit 654, 654′, 654″, the processor 650, 650′, 650″, theone or more sensor transducers 656, 656′, 656″ (if present), and thememory 658, 658′, 658″, and allows through-hole access (not shown) to aback-side conductive pattern that is connected to the flexible battery(not shown). In these embodiments, the front-side conductive pattern ofthe flexible circuit 648, 648′, 648″ connects the communicationscircuits 652, 652′, 652″, 672′, 672″, 682″ (e.g., receivers,transmitters, and transceivers) to their respective antennas and to theprocessor 650, 650′, 650″ and also connects the processor 650, 650′,650″ to the one or more sensors and the memory 658, 658′, and 658″. Thebackside conductive pattern connects the active electronics (e.g., theprocessor 650, 650′, 650″, the communications circuits 652, 652′, 652″,672′, 672″, 682″ and the transducers) on the front-side of the flexiblecircuit 648, 648′, 648″ to the electrodes of the energy storage device662, 662′, 662″ via one or more through holes in the substrate of theflexible circuit 648, 648′, 648″. The various units of the segments 640,670, 680 shown in FIGS. 6A-6C may be arranged to accommodate differentobjects or structures (e.g., trash bins, fire extinguishers, etc.) andsensors may be added to, or subtracted from, the segments 640, 670, and680, according to a particular task.

Depending on the target application, the wireless transducing circuits410 are distributed across the flexible adhesive tape platform 500according to a specified sampling density, which is the number ofwireless transducing circuits 410 for a given unit size (e.g., length orarea) of the flexible adhesive tape platform 500. In some examples, aset of multiple flexible adhesive tape platforms 500 are provided thatinclude different respective sampling densities in order to sealdifferent asset sizes with a desired number of wireless transducingcircuits 410. In particular, the number of wireless transducing circuitsper asset size is given by the product of the sampling density specifiedfor the adhesive tape platform and the respective size of the adhesivetape platform 100 needed to seal the asset. This allows an automatedpackaging system to select the appropriate type of flexible adhesivetape platform 100 to use for sealing a given asset with the desiredredundancy (if any) in the number of wireless transducer circuits 410.In some example applications (e.g., shipping low value goods), only onewireless transducing circuit 410 is used per asset, whereas in otherapplications (e.g., shipping high value goods) multiple wirelesstransducing circuits 410 are used per asset. Thus, a flexible adhesivetape platform 500 with a lower sampling density of wireless transducingcircuits 410 can be used for the former application, and a flexibleadhesive tape platform 100 with a higher sampling density of wirelesstransducing circuits 410 can be used for the latter application. In someexamples, the flexible adhesive tape platforms 500 are color-coded orotherwise marked to indicate the respective sampling densities withwhich the wireless transducing circuits 410 are distributed across thedifferent types of adhesive tape platforms 500.

Referring to FIG. 7A, in some examples, each of one or more of thesegments 770, 772 of a tracking adhesive product 774 includes arespective circuit 775 that delivers power from the respective energysource 776 to the respective tracking circuit 778 (e.g., a processor andone or more wireless communications circuits) in response to an event.In some of these examples, the wake circuit 775 is configured totransition from an off-state to an on-state when the voltage on the wakenode 777 exceeds a threshold level, at which point the wake circuittransitions to an on-state to power-on the segment 770. In theillustrated example, this occurs when the user separates the segmentfrom the tracking adhesive product 774, for example, by cutting acrossthe tracking adhesive product 774 at a designated location (e.g., alonga designated cut-line 780). In particular, in its initial, un-cut state,a minimal amount of current flows through the resistors R1 and R2. As aresult, the voltage on the wake node 777 remains below the thresholdturn-on level. After the user cuts across the tracking adhesive product774 along the designated cut-line 780, the user creates an open circuitin the loop 782, which pulls the voltage of the wake node above thethreshold level and turns on the wake circuit 775. As a result, thevoltage across the energy source 776 will appear across the trackingcircuit 778 and, thereby, turn on the segment 770. In particularembodiments, the resistance value of resistor R1 is greater than theresistance value of R2. In some examples, the resistance values ofresistors R1 and R2 are selected based on the overall design of theadhesive product system (e.g., the target wake voltage level and atarget leakage current).

In some examples, each of one or more of the segments of a trackingadhesive product includes a respective sensor and a respective wakecircuit that delivers power from the respective energy source to therespective one or more components of the respective tracking circuit 778in response to an output of the sensor. In some examples, the respectivesensor is a strain sensor that produces a wake signal based on a changein strain in the respective segment. In some of these examples, thestrain sensor is affixed to a tracking adhesive product and configuredto detect the stretching of the tracking adhesive product segment as thesegment is being peeled off a roll or a sheet of the tracking adhesiveproduct. In some examples, the respective sensor is a capacitive sensorthat produces a wake signal based on a change in capacitance in therespective segment. In some of these examples, the capacitive sensor isaffixed to a tracking adhesive product and configured to detect theseparation of the tracking adhesive product segment from a roll or asheet of the tracking adhesive product. In some examples, the respectivesensor is a flex sensor that produces a wake signal based on a change incurvature in the respective segment. In some of these examples, the flexsensor is affixed to a tracking adhesive product and configured todetect bending of the tracking adhesive product segment as the segmentis being peeled off a roll or a sheet of the tracking adhesive product.In some examples, the respective sensor is a near field communicationssensor that produces a wake signal based on a change in inductance inthe respective segment.

FIG. 7B shows another example of a tracking adhesive product 794 thatdelivers power from the respective energy source 776 to the respectivetracking circuit 778 (e.g., a processor and one or more wirelesscommunications circuits) in response to an event. This example issimilar in structure and operation as the tracking adhesive product 794shown in FIG. 7A, except that the wake circuit 775 is replaced by aswitch 796 that is configured to transition from an open state to aclosed state when the voltage on the switch node 777 exceeds a thresholdlevel. In the initial state of the tracking adhesive product 794, thevoltage on the switch node is below the threshold level as a result ofthe low current level flowing through the resistors R1 and R2. After theuser cuts across the tracking adhesive product 794 along the designatedcut-line 780, the user creates an open circuit in the loop 782, whichpulls up the voltage on the switch node above the threshold level toclose the switch 796 and turn on the tracking circuit 778.

FIG. 7C shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional front view of an exampleadhesive tape platform 700 and a perspective view of an example asset702. Instead of activating the adhesive tape platform 700 in response toseparating a segment of the adhesive tape platform 700 from a roll or asheet of the adhesive tape platform, this example is configured tosupply power from the energy source 702 to turn on the wirelesstransducing circuit 706 in response to establishing an electricalconnection between two power terminals 708, 710 that are integrated intothe adhesive tape platform. In particular, each segment of the adhesivetape platform 700 includes a respective set of embedded trackingcomponents, an adhesive layer 712, and an optional backing sheet 714with a release coating that prevents the segments from adhering stronglyto the backing sheet 714. In some examples, the power terminals 708, 710are composed of an electrically conductive material (e.g., a metal, suchas copper) that may be printed or otherwise patterned and/or depositedon the backside of the adhesive tape platform 700. In operation, theadhesive tape platform can be activated by removing the backing sheet714 and applying the exposed adhesive layer 712 to a surface thatincludes an electrically conductive region 716. In the illustratedembodiment, the electrically conductive region 716 is disposed on aportion of the asset 702. When the adhesive backside of the adhesivetape platform 700 is adhered to the asset with the exposed terminals708, 710 aligned and in contact with the electrically conductive region716 on the asset 702, an electrical connection is created through theelectrically conductive region 716 between the exposed terminals 708,710 that completes the circuit and turns on the wireless transducingcircuit 706. In particular embodiments, the power terminals 708, 710 areelectrically connected to any respective nodes of the wirelesstransducing circuit 706 that would result in the activation of thetracking circuit 706 in response to the creation of an electricalconnection between the power terminals 708, 710.

In some examples, after a tape node is turned on, it will communicatewith the network service to confirm that the user/operator who isassociated with the tape node is an authorized user who hasauthenticated himself or herself to the network service. In theseexamples, if the tape node cannot confirm that the user/operator is anauthorized user, the tape node will turn itself off.

An example network communications environment 800 (herein usedinterchangeably with “network 800”) includes a plurality of wirelessnodes configured to detect tampering in assets (or other forms ofevents, such as temperature differentials, humidity differentials,acceleration differentials, etc.). Tampering may include, but is notlimited to, opening assets such as boxes, containers, storage, or doors(e.g., of an asset container 764), moving the asset withoutauthorization, moving the asset to an unintended location, moving theasset in an unintended way, damaging the asset, shaking the asset in anunintended way, orienting an asset in a way that it is not meant to beoriented. In many cases, these actions may compromise the integrity orsafety of assets. Wireless nodes associated with the asset areconfigured to detect a tampering event. In an embodiment, a tamperingevent is associated with an action, a time, and a location. In anembodiment, the wireless nodes communicate the tampering event to thenetwork 800. The network 800 is configured to provide a notification oralert to a user (e.g., authenticated user) of the network 800. In someembodiments, a wireless node may directly transmit the notification oralert to the user (e.g., to a client device, such as the mobile gateway810 of a user). In other embodiments, a wireless node may include adisplay that indicates whether or not a tampering event has occurred(e.g., the display may be an indicator light or LED).

Alerts may be transmitted to the server/cloud, other wireless nodes, aclient device, or some combination thereof, as discussed below. Forexample, in an embodiment, a wireless node of the network 800 capturessensor data, detects a tampering event, and transmits an alarm to a userof the wireless sensing system (e.g., without communicating with aserver or cloud of the wireless sensing system). In another embodiment,a wireless node of the network 800 captures sensor data and transmitsthe sensor data to a gateway, parent node (e.g., black tape), or clientdevice. The gateway, parent node, or client device detects a tamperingevent based on the received sensor data and transmits an alarm to a userof the network 800. In another embodiment, the wireless node of thenetwork 800 captures sensor data, detects a tampering event, andtransmits information describing the tampering event to a server orcloud of the network 800, in the form of a list with tampering events atspecific times, along with which tape node or containers were tamperedwith, as shown in table 1502, discussed in FIG. 15 . The server or cloudof the wireless sensing system transmits an alarm to a user of thewireless sensing system.

FIG. 8 shows an example network communications environment 800 (hereinused interchangeably with “network 800”) that includes a network 802that supports communications between one or more servers 804 executingone or more applications of a network service 808, mobile gateways 810(a smart device mobile gateway), 812 (a vehicle mobile gateway), astationary gateway 814, and various types of tape nodes that areassociated with various assets (e.g., parcels, equipment, tools,persons, and other things). Hereinafter “tape nodes” may be usedinterchangeably with the “agents”, as described above, with reference toFIGS. 1-6 ; the “agents” are in the form of a “tape node” attached todifferent objects, e.g., an asset, storage container, vehicle,equipment, etc.; the master agent may be referred to as a master tapenode, a secondary agent may be referred to as a secondary tape node; anda tertiary agent may be referred to as a tertiary tape node.

In some examples, the network 802 (e.g., a wireless network) includesone or more network communication systems and technologies, includingany one or more of wide area networks, local area networks, publicnetworks (e.g., the internet), private networks (e.g., intranets andextranets), wired networks, and wireless networks. For example, thenetwork 802 includes communications infrastructure equipment, such as ageolocation satellite system 870 (e.g., GPS, GLONASS, and NAVSTAR),cellular communication systems (e.g., GSM/GPRS), Wi-Fi communicationsystems, RF communication systems (e.g., LoRa), Bluetooth communicationsystems (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy system), Z-wave communicationsystems, and ZigBee communication systems.

In some examples, the one or more network service applications leveragethe above-mentioned communications technologies to create a hierarchicalwireless network of tape nodes improves asset management operations byreducing costs and improving efficiency in a wide range of processes,from asset packaging, asset transporting, asset tracking, assetcondition monitoring, asset inventorying, and asset securityverification. Communication across the network is secured by a varietyof different security mechanisms. In the case of existinginfrastructure, a communication link uses the infrastructure securitymechanisms. In the case of communications among tapes nodes, thecommunication is secured through a custom security mechanism. In certaincases, tape nodes may also be configured to support block chain toprotect the transmitted and stored data.

A network of tape nodes may be configured by the network service tocreate hierarchical communications network. The hierarchy may be definedin terms of one or more factors, including functionality (e.g., wirelesstransmission range or power), role (e.g., master-tape node vs.peripheral-tape node), or cost (e.g., a tape node equipped with acellular transceiver vs. a peripheral tape node equipped with aBluetooth LE transceiver). As described above with reference to theagents, tape nodes may be assigned to different levels of a hierarchicalnetwork according to one or more of the above-mentioned factors. Forexample, the hierarchy may be defined in terms of communication range orpower, where tape nodes with higher-power or longer-communication rangetransceivers are arranged at a higher level of the hierarchy than tapenodes with lower-power or lower-range power or lower range transceivers.In another example, the hierarchy is defined in terms of role, where,e.g., a master tape node is programmed to bridge communications betweena designated group of peripheral tape nodes and a gateway node or servernode. The problem of finding an optimal hierarchical structure may beformulated as an optimization problem with battery capacity of nodes,power consumption in various modes of operation, desired latency,external environment, etc. and may be solved using modern optimizationmethods e.g. neural networks, artificial intelligence, and other machinelearning computing systems that take expected and historical data tocreate an optimal solution and may create algorithms for modifying thesystem's behavior adaptively in the field.

The tape nodes may be deployed by automated equipment or manually. Inthis process, a tape node typically is separated from a roll or sheetand adhered to a parcel (e.g., asset 820) or other stationary (e.g.,stationary gateway 814) or mobile object (e.g., a, such as a deliverytruck, such as mobile gateway 812) or stationary object (e.g., astructural element of a building). This process activates the tape node(e.g., the tape node 818) and causes the tape node 818 to communicatewith the one or more servers 804 of the network service 808. In thisprocess, the tape node 418 may communicate through one or more othertape nodes (e.g., the tape nodes 842, 844, 846, 848) in thecommunication hierarchy. In this process, the one or more servers 804executes the network service application 806 to programmaticallyconfigure tape nodes 818, 824, 828, 832, 842, 844, 846, 848, that aredeployed in the network communications environment 800. In someexamples, there are multiple classes or types of tape nodes (e.g., themaster agent 842-848, 859, secondary agent 824, 860, or tertiary agent824, 860 shown in FIG. 8 ), where each tape node class has a differentrespective set of functionalities and/or capacities, as described abovewith respect to the “agents” in FIGS. 1-6 . For example, the masteragents 842-848, 859 (with reference to FIGS. 6A have a lower-powerwireless communication interface (e.g., the low-powerwireless-communication interface 652, with reference to FIG. 6A), incomparison to the secondary and tertiary agents 824, 860 (with referenceto FIG. 6B,C).

In some examples, the one or more servers 804 communicate over thenetwork 802 with one or more gateways 810, 812, 814 that are configuredto send, transmit, forward, or relay messages to the network 802 inresponse to transmissions from the tape nodes 818, 824, 828, 832, 842,844, 846, 848 that are associated with respective assets and withincommunication range. Example gateways include mobile gateways 810, 812and a stationary gateway 814. In some examples, the mobile gateways 810,812, and the stationary gateway 814 are able to communicate with thenetwork 802 and with designated sets or groups of tape nodes.

In some examples, the mobile gateway 812 is a vehicle (e.g., a deliverytruck or other mobile hub) that includes a wireless communications unit816 that is configured by the network service 808 to communicate with adesignated network of tape nodes, including tape node 818 (e.g., amaster tape node) in the form of a label that is adhered to a parcel 821(e.g., an envelope) that contains an asset 820, and is furtherconfigured to communicate with the network service 808 over the network802. In some examples, the tape node 818 includes a lower-powerwireless-communications interface of the type used in, e.g., segment 640(shown in FIG. 6A), and the wireless communications unit 816 mayimplemented by a secondary or tertiary tape node (e.g., one of segment670 or segment 680, respectively shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C) that includesa lower-power communications interfaces for communicating with tapenodes within range of the mobile gateway 812 and a higher-powercommunications-interface for communicating with the network 802. In thisway, the tape node 818 and wireless communications unit 816 create ahierarchical wireless network of tape nodes for transmitting,forwarding, bridging, relaying, or otherwise communicating wirelessmessages to, between, or on behalf of the tape node 818 in apower-efficient and cost-effective way.

In some examples, a mobile gateway 810 is a mobile phone that isoperated by a human operator and executes a client application 822 thatis configured by a network service to communicate with a designated setof tape nodes, including a secondary or tertiary tape node 824 that isadhered to a parcel 826 (e.g., a box), and is further configured tocommunicate with a server 804 over the network 802. In some embodiments,the client application 822 is accessible to authorized users and theauthorize users may have varying levels of access to data stored in thenetwork 800. For example, an employee (e.g., border patrol agent) at acheckpoint may have more access than a non-employee user, who may begranted a temporary access for a limited purpose of tracking aparticular asset during the voyage, with a final destination to thenon-employee user. This limited access for the non-employee user may beto ensure a safe chain-of-custody from end-to-end, without tampering,and it may be applicable to any type of asset.

In some embodiments, the client application 822 is installed on a mobiledevice (e.g., smartphone) that may also operate as mobile gateway 810.The client application 822 may cause the mobile device to function as amobile gateway 810. For example, the client application 822 runs in thebackground to allow the mobile device to bridge communications betweentape nodes that are communicating on one protocol to other tape nodesthat are communicating on another protocol. For example, a tape nodetransmits data to the mobile device through Bluetooth, and the mobiledevice (running the client application 822) relays that data to theserver 804 via cellular (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) or Wi-Fi. Further, the clientapplication 822 may cause the mobile device to automatically search fortape nodes (as shown in FIGS. 14-17 ) and receive pings (e.g., alerts tonearby assets that an environmental threshold has been exceeded) fromthe tape nodes or from the server 804. The tape nodes or server mayrequest services (e.g., to display alert messages within a graphicaluser interface of the mobile device, relay messages to nearby tape nodesor mobile or stationary gateways, delegate tasks to the mobile device,such as determining the location of the tape node, etc.) from the mobiledevice. For example, the mobile device running the client application822 may share location data with the tape node, allowing the tape nodeto pinpoint its location.

In the illustrated example, the parcel 826 contains a first parcellabeled or sealed by a master tape node 828 and containing a first asset830, and a second parcel labeled or sealed by a master tape node 832 andcontaining a second asset 834. The secondary or tertiary tape node 824communicates with each of the master tape nodes 828, 832 and alsocommunicates with the mobile gateway 810. In some examples, each of themaster tape nodes 828, 832 includes a lower-powerwireless-communications interface of the type used in, e.g., segment 640(shown in FIG. 6A), and the secondary/tertiary tape node 824 isimplemented by a tape node (e.g., segment 670 or segment 680, shown inFIGS. 6B and 6C) that includes a low-power communications interface forcommunicating with the master tape nodes 828, 832 contained within theparcel 826, and a higher-power communications interface forcommunicating with the mobile gateway 810. The secondary or tertiarytape node 824 is operable to relay wireless communications between themaster tape nodes 828, 832 contained within the parcel 826 and themobile gateway 810, and the mobile gateway 810 is operable to relaywireless communications between the secondary or tertiary tape node 824and the server 804 over the network 802. In this way, the master tapenodes 828 and 832 and the secondary or tertiary tape node 824 create awireless network of nodes for transmitting, forwarding, relaying, orotherwise communicating wireless messages to, between, or on behalf ofthe master tape nodes 828, 832, the secondary or tertiary tape node 824,and the network service (not shown) in a power-efficient andcost-effective way.

In some examples, the stationary gateway 814 is implemented by a server804 executing a network service application 806 that is configured bythe network service 808 to communicate with a designated set 840 ofmaster tape nodes 842, 844, 846, 848 that are adhered to respectiveparcels containing respective assets 850, 852, 854, 856 on a pallet 858.In other examples, the stationary gateway 814 is implemented by asecondary or tertiary tape node 860 (e.g., segments 670 or 680,respectively shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C) that is adhered to, for example,a wall, column or other infrastructure component of the physicalpremise's environment 800, and includes a low-power communicationsinterface for communicating with nodes within range of the stationarygateway 814 and a higher-power communications interface forcommunicating with the network 802.

In one embodiment, each of the master tape nodes 842-748 is a mastertape node and is configured by the network service 808 to communicateindividually with the stationary gateway 814, which relayscommunications from the master tape nodes 842-848 to the network service808 through the stationary gateway 814 and over the network 802. Inanother embodiment, one of the master tape nodes 842-848 at a time isconfigured to transmit, forward, relay, or otherwise communicatewireless messages to, between, or on behalf of the other master nodes onthe pallet 858. In this embodiment, the master tape node may bedetermined by the master tape nodes 842-848 or designated by the networkservice 808. In some examples, the master tape nodes 842-848 with thelongest range or highest remaining power level is determined to be themaster tape node. In some examples, when the power level of the currentmaster tape node drops below a certain level (e.g., a fixed powerthreshold level or a threshold level relative to the power levels of oneor more of the other master tape nodes), another one of the master tapenodes assumes the role of the master tape node. In some examples, amaster tape node 859 is adhered to the pallet 858 and is configured toperform the role of a master node for the other master tape nodes842-848. In these ways, the master tape nodes 842-848, 859 areconfigurable to create different wireless networks of nodes fortransmitting, forwarding, relaying, bridging, or otherwise communicatingwireless messages with the network service 408 through the stationarygateway 814 and over the network 802 in a power-efficient andcost-effective way.

In the illustrated example, the stationary gateway 814 also isconfigured by the network service 808 to communicate with a designatednetwork of tape nodes, including the secondary or tertiary tape node 860that is adhered to the inside of a door 862 of an asset container 864,and is further configured to communicate with the network service 808over the network 802. In the illustrated example, the asset container864 contains a number of parcels labeled or sealed by respective mastertape nodes 866 and containing respective assets. The secondary ortertiary tape node 860 communicates with each of the master tape nodes866 within the asset container 864 and communicates with the stationarygateway 814. In some examples, each of the master tape nodes 866includes a low-power wireless communications-interface (e.g., thelow-power wireless-communication interface 652, with reference to FIG.6A), and the secondary or tertiary tape node 860 includes a low-powerwireless-communications interface (low-power wireless-communicationinterfaces 652′, 652″, with reference to FIGS. 6B-6C) for communicatingwith the master tape nodes 866 contained within the asset container 864,and a higher-power wireless-communications interface (e.g., medium-powerwireless-communication interface 672′, medium-powerwireless-communication interface 672″, high-power wireless-communicationinterface 682″, with reference to FIGS. 6B-6C) for communicating withthe stationary gateway 814. In some examples, either a secondary ortertiary tape node, or both, may be used, depending on whether ahigh-power wireless-communication interface is necessary for sufficientcommunication.

In some examples, when the doors of the asset container 864 are closed,the secondary or tertiary tape node 860 is operable to communicatewirelessly with the master tape nodes 866 contained within the assetcontainer 864. In some embodiments, both a secondary and a tertiary nodeare attached to the asset container 864. Whether a secondary and atertiary node are used may depend on the range requirements of thewireless-communications interface. For example, if out at sea a nodewill be required to transmit and receive signals from a server locatedoutside the range of a medium-power wireless-communications interface, atertiary node will be used because the tertiary node includes ahigh-power wireless-communications interface.

In an example, the secondary or tertiary tape node 860 is configured tocollect sensor data from master tape nodes 866 and, in some embodiments,process the collected data to generate, for example, statistics from thecollected data. When the doors of the asset container 864 are open, thesecondary or tertiary tape node 860 is programmed to detect the dooropening (e.g., using a photodetector or an accelerometer component ofthe secondary or tertiary tape node 860) and, in addition to reportingthe door opening event to the network service 808, the secondary ortertiary tape node 860 is further programmed to transmit the collecteddata and/or the processed data in one or more wireless messages to thestationary gateway 814. The stationary gateway 814, in turn, is operableto transmit the wireless messages received from the secondary ortertiary tape node 860 to the network service 808 over the network 802.Alternatively, in some examples, the stationary gateway 814 also isoperable to perform operations on the data received from the secondaryor tertiary tape node 860 with the same type of data produced by thesecondary or tertiary tape node 860 based on sensor data collected fromthe master tape nodes 842-848. In this way, the secondary or tertiarytape node 860 and master tape node 866 create a wireless network ofnodes for transmitting, forwarding, relaying, or otherwise communicatingwireless messages to, between, or on behalf of the master tape node 866,the secondary or tertiary tape nodes 860, and the network service 808 ina power-efficient and cost-effective way.

In an example of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 , there are three typesof backward compatible tape nodes: a short-range master tape node (e.g.,segment 640), a medium-range secondary tape node (e.g., segment 670),and a long-range tertiary tape node (e.g. segment 680), as respectivelyshown in FIGS. 6A-6C (here, “tape node” is used interchangeably with“agent”, as described with reference to FIGS. 1-6 ). The short-rangemaster tape nodes typically are adhered directly to parcels containingassets. In the illustrated example, the master tape nodes 818, 828, 832,842-848, 866 are short-range tape nodes. The short-range tape nodestypically communicate with a low-power wireless-communication protocol(e.g., Bluetooth LE, Zigbee, or Z-wave). The segment 670 typicallyadheres to objects (e.g., a parcel 826 and an asset container 864) thatare associated with multiple parcels that are separated from themedium-range tape nodes by a barrier or a long distance. In theillustrated example, the secondary and/or tertiary tape nodes 824 and860 are medium-range tape nodes. The medium-range tape nodes typicallycommunicate with low and medium-power wireless-communication protocols(e.g., Bluetooth, LoRa, or Wi-Fi). The segments 680 typically areadhered to mobile or stationary infrastructure of the networkcommunications environment 800.

In the illustrated example, the mobile gateway 812 and the stationarygateway 814 are implemented by, e.g., segment 680. The segments 680typically communicate with other nodes using a high-powerwireless-communication protocol (e.g., a cellular data communicationprotocol). In some examples, the wireless communications unit 416 (asecondary or tertiary tape node) is adhered to a mobile gateway 812(e.g., a truck). In these examples, the wireless communications unit 816may be moved to different locations in the network communicationsenvironment 800 to assist in connecting other tape nodes to the wirelesscommunications unit 816. In some examples, the stationary gateway 814 isa tape node that may be attached to a stationary structure (e.g., awall) in the network communications environment 800 with a knowngeographic location (e.g., GPS coordinates). In these examples, othertape nodes in the environment may determine their geographic location byquerying the stationary gateway 814.

In some examples, in order to conserve power, the tape nodes typicallycommunicate according to a schedule promulgated by the network service808. The schedule usually dictates all aspects of the communication,including the times when particular tape nodes should communicate, themode of communication, and the contents of the communication. In oneexample, the server (not shown) transmits programmatic Global SchedulingDescription Language (GSDL) code to the master tape node and each of thesecondary and tertiary tape nodes in the designated set. In thisexample, execution of the GSDL code causes each of the tape nodes in thedesignated set to connect to the master tape node at a differentrespective time that is specified in the GSDL code, and to communicate arespective set of one or more data packets of one or more specifiedtypes of information over the respective connection. In some examples,the master tape node simply forwards the data packets to the server 804,either directly or indirectly through a gateway tape node (e.g., thelong-range tape node, such as wireless communication unit 816, adheredto the mobile gateway 812, or a long-range tape node, such as stationarygateway 814, that is adhered to an infrastructure component of thenetwork communications environment 800). In other examples, the mastertape node processes the information contained in the received datapackets and transmits the processed information to the server 804.

FIG. 9 shows an example hierarchical wireless communications network oftape nodes 970. In this example, the short-range tape node 972 and themedium range tape node 974 communicate with one another over theirrespective low power wireless communication interfaces 976, 978. Themedium range tape node 974 and the long-range tape node 980 communicatewith one another over their respective medium power wirelesscommunication interfaces 978, 982. The long-range tape node 980 and theone or more network service servers 904 communicate with one anotherover the high-power communication interface 984. In some examples, thelow power communication interfaces 976, 978 establish wirelesscommunications with one another in accordance with the Bluetooth LEprotocol, the medium power communication interfaces 986, 982 establishwireless communications with one another in accordance with the LoRacommunications protocol, and the high-power communication interface 984establishes wireless communications with the one or more network serviceservers 904 in accordance with a cellular communications protocol.

In some examples, the different types of tape nodes are deployed atdifferent levels in the communications hierarchy according to theirrespective communications ranges, with the long-range tape nodesgenerally at the top of the hierarchy, the medium range tape nodesgenerally in the middle of the hierarchy, and the short-range tape nodesgenerally at the bottom of the hierarchy. In some examples, thedifferent types of tape nodes are implemented with different featuresets that are associated with component costs and operational costs thatvary according to their respective levels in the hierarchy. This allowssystem administrators flexibility to optimize the deployment of the tapenodes to achieve various objectives, including cost minimization, assettracking, asset localization, and power conservation.

In some examples, one or more network service servers 904 of the networkservice 908 designates a tape node at a higher level in a hierarchicalcommunications network as a master node of a designated set of tapenodes at a lower level in the hierarchical communications network. Forexample, the designated master tape node may be adhered to a parcel(e.g., a box, pallet, or asset container) that contains one or more tapenodes that are adhered to one or more packages containing respectiveassets. In order to conserve power, the tape nodes typically communicateaccording to a schedule promulgated by the one or more network serviceservers 904 of the network service 908. The schedule usually dictatesall aspects of the communication, including the times when particulartape nodes should communicate, the mode of communication, and thecontents of the communication. In one example, the one or more networkservice servers 904 transmits programmatic Global Scheduling DescriptionLanguage (GSDL) code to the master tape node and each of the lower-leveltape nodes in the designated set. In this example, execution of the GSDLcode causes each of the tape nodes in the designated set to connect tothe master tape node at a different respective time that is specified inthe GSDL code, and to communicate a respective set of one or more datapackets of one or more specified types of information over therespective connection. In some examples, the master tape node simplyforwards the data packets to the one or more network service servers904, either directly or indirectly through a gateway tape node (e.g.,the long-range wireless communication unit 816 adhered to the mobilegateway 812 (which could be a vehicle, ship, plane, etc.) or thestationary gateway 814 is a long-range tape node adhered to aninfrastructure component of the network 800). In other examples, themaster tape node processes the information contained in the receiveddata packets and transmits the processed information to the one or morenetwork service servers 904.

FIG. 10 shows an example method of creating a hierarchicalcommunications network. In accordance with this method, a first tapenode is adhered to a first parcel in a set of associated parcels, thefirst tape node including a first type of wireless communicationinterface and a second type of wireless communication interface having alonger range than the first type of wireless communication interface(FIG. 10 , block 1090). A second tape node is adhered to a second parcelin the set, the second tape node including the first type of wirelesscommunication interface, wherein the second tape node is operable tocommunicate with the first tape node over a wireless communicationconnection established between the first type of wireless communicationinterfaces of the first and second tape nodes (FIG. 10 , block 1092). Anapplication executing on a computer system (e.g., the one or morenetwork service servers 904 of a network service 906) establishes awireless communication connection with the second type of wirelesscommunication interface of the first tape node, and the applicationtransmits programmatic code executable by the first tape node tofunction as a master tape node with respect to the second tape node(FIG. 10 , block 1094).

As used herein, the term “node” refers to both a tape node and anon-tape node unless the node is explicitly designated as a “tape node”or a “non-tape node.” In some embodiments, a non-tape node may have thesame or similar communication, sensing, processing and otherfunctionalities and capabilities as the tape nodes described herein,except without being integrated into a tape platform. In someembodiments, non-tape nodes can interact seamlessly with tape nodes.Each node is assigned a respective unique identifier.

Embodiments of the present disclosure further describe a distributedsoftware operating system that is implemented by distributed hardwarenodes executing intelligent agent software to perform various tasks oralgorithms. In some embodiments, the operating system distributesfunctionalities (e.g., performing analytics on data or statisticscollected or generated by nodes) geographically across multipleintelligent agents that are bound to logistic items (e.g., parcels,containers, packages, boxes, pallets, a loading dock, a door, a lightswitch, a vehicle such as a delivery truck, a shipping facility, a port,a hub, etc.). In addition, the operating system dynamically allocatesthe hierarchical roles (e.g., master and slave roles) that nodes performover time in order to improve system performance, such as optimizingbattery life across nodes, improving responsiveness, and achievingoverall objectives. In some embodiments, optimization is achieved usinga simulation environment for optimizing key performance indicators(PKIs). In some embodiments, the nodes are programmed to operateindividually or collectively as autonomous intelligent agents. In someembodiments, nodes are configured to communicate and coordinate actionsand respond to events. In some embodiments, a node is characterized byits identity, its mission, and the services that it can provide to othernodes. A node's identity is defined by its capabilities (e.g., batterylife, sensing capabilities, and communications interfaces).

A node may be defined by the respective program code, instructions, ordirectives it receives from another node (e.g., a server or a masternode) and the actions or tasks that it performs in accordance with thatprogram code, instructions, or directives (e.g., sense temperature everyhour and send temperature data to a master node to upload to a server).A node's services may be defined by the functions or tasks that it ispermitted to perform for other nodes (e.g., retrieve temperature datafrom a peripheral node and send the received temperature data to theserver). At least for certain tasks, once programmed and configured withtheir identities, missions, and services, nodes can communicate with oneanother and request services from and provide services to one anotherindependently of the server. Thus, in accordance with the runtimeoperating system every agent knows its objectives (programmed). Everyagent knows which capabilities/resources it needs to fulfill objective.Every agent communicates with every other node in proximity to see if itcan offer the capability. Examples include communicate data to theserver, authorize going to lower-power level, temperature reading, sendan alert to local hub, send location data, triangulate location, anyboxes in same group that already completed group objectives.

Nodes can be associated with logistic items. Examples of a logistic itemincludes, for example, a package, a box, pallet, a container, a truck orother conveyance, infrastructure such as a door, a conveyor belt, alight switch, a road, or any other thing that can be tracked, monitored,sensed, etc. or that can transmit data concerning its state orenvironment. In some examples, a server or a master node may associatethe unique node identifiers with the logistic items.

Communication paths between tape and/or non-tape nodes may berepresented by a graph of edges between the corresponding logistic items(e.g., a storage unit, truck, or hub). In some embodiments, each node inthe graph has a unique identifier. A set of connected edges betweennodes is represented by a sequence of the node identifiers that definesa communication path between a set of nodes.

Referring to FIG. 11A, a node 1120 (Node A) is associated with a package1122 (Package A). In some embodiments, the node 1120 may be implementedas a tape node that is used to seal the package 1122 or it may beimplemented as a label node that is used to label the package 1122;alternatively, the node 1120 may be implemented as a non-tape node thatis inserted within the package 1122 or embedded in or otherwise attachedto the interior or exterior of the package 1122. In the illustratedembodiment, the node 1120 includes a low power communications interface1124 (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy communications interface). Anothernode 1126 (Node B), which is associated with another package 1130(Package B), is similarly equipped with a compatible low powercommunications interface 1128 (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energycommunications interface).

In an example scenario, in accordance with the programmatic code storedin its memory, node 1126 (Node B) requires a connection to node 1120(Node A) to perform a task that involves checking the battery life ofNode A. Initially, Node B is unconnected to any other nodes. Inaccordance with the programmatic code stored in its memory, Node Bperiodically broadcasts advertising packets into the surrounding area.When the other node 1120 (Node A) is within range of Node B and isoperating in a listening mode, Node A will extract the address of Node Band potentially other information (e.g., security information) from anadvertising packet. If, according to its programmatic code, Node Adetermines that it is authorized to connect to Node B, Node A willattempt to pair with Node B. In this process, Node A and Node Bdetermine each other's identities, capabilities, and services. Forexample, after successfully establishing a communication path 1132 withNode A (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy formatted communication path), NodeB determines Node A's identity information (e.g., master node), Node A'scapabilities include reporting its current battery life, and Node A'sservices include transmitting its current battery life to other nodes.In response to a request from Node B, Node A transmits an indication ofits current battery life to Node B.

Referring to FIG. 11B, a node 1134 (Node C) is associated with a package1135 (Package C). In the illustrated embodiment, the Node C includes alow power communications interface 1136 (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energycommunications interface), and a sensor 1137 (e.g., a temperaturesensor). Another node 1138 (Node D), which is associated with anotherpackage 1140 (Package D), is similarly equipped with a compatible lowpower communications interface 1142 (e.g., a Bluetooth Low-Energycommunications interface).

In an example scenario, in accordance with the programmatic code storedin its memory, Node D requires a connection to Node C to perform a taskthat involves checking the temperature in the vicinity of Node C.Initially, Node D is unconnected to any other nodes. In accordance withthe programmatic code stored in its memory, Node D periodicallybroadcasts advertising packets in the surrounding area. When Node C iswithin range of Node D and is operating in a listening mode, Node C willextract the address of Node D and potentially other information (e.g.,security information) from the advertising packet. If, according to itsprogrammatic code, Node C determines that it is authorized to connect toNode D, Node C will attempt to pair with Node D.

In this process, Node C and Node D determine each other's identities,capabilities, and services. For example, after successfully establishinga communication path 1144 with Node C (e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energyformatted communication path), Node D determines Node C's identityinformation (e.g., a peripheral node), Node C's capabilities includeretrieving temperature data, and Node C's services include transmittingtemperature data to other nodes. In response to a request from Node D,Node C transmits its measured and/or locally processed temperature datato Node D.

Referring to FIG. 11C, a pallet 1150 is associated with a master node1151 that includes a low-power communications interface 1152, a GPSreceiver 1154, and a cellular communications interface 1156. In someembodiments, the master node 1151 may be implemented as a tape node or alabel node that is adhered to the pallet 1150. In other embodiments, themaster node 1151 may be implemented as a non-tape node that is insertedwithin the body of the pallet 1150 or embedded in or otherwise attachedto the interior or exterior of the pallet 1150.

The pallet 1150 provides a structure for grouping and containingpackages 1159, 1161, 1163 each of which is associated with a respectiveperipheral node 1158, 1160, 1162 (Node E, Node F, and Node G). Each ofthe peripheral nodes 1158, 1160, 1162 includes a respective low powercommunications interface 1164, 1166, 1168 (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energycommunications interface). In the illustrated embodiment, each of thenodes E, F, G, and the master node 1151 are connected to each of theother nodes over a respective low power communications path (shown bydashed lines).

In some embodiments, the packages 1159, 1161, 1163 are grouped togetherbecause they are related. For example, the packages 1159, 1161, 1163 mayshare the same shipping itinerary or a portion thereof In an examplescenario, the master pallet node 1151 scans for advertising packets thatare broadcasted from the peripheral nodes 1158, 1160, 1162. In someexamples, the peripheral nodes broadcast advertising packets duringrespective scheduled broadcast intervals. The master node 1151 candetermine the presence of the packages 1159, 1161, 1163 in the vicinityof the pallet 1150 based on receipt of one or more advertising packetsfrom each of the nodes E, F, and G. In some embodiments, in response toreceipt of advertising packets broadcasted by the peripheral nodes 1158,1160, 1162, the master node 1151 transmits respective requests to theserver to associate the master node 1151 and the respective peripheralnodes 1158, 1160, 1162. In some examples, the master tape node requestsauthorization from the server to associate the master tape node and theperipheral tape nodes. If the corresponding packages 1159, 1161, 1163are intended to be grouped together (e.g., they share the same itineraryor certain segments of the same itinerary), the server authorizes themaster node 1151 to associate the peripheral nodes 1158, 1160, 1162 withone another as a grouped set of packages. In some embodiments, theserver registers the master node and peripheral tape node identifierswith a group identifier. The server also may associate each node ID witha respective physical label ID that is affixed to the respectivepackage.

In some embodiments, after an initial set of packages is assigned to amulti package group, the master node 1151 may identify another packagearrives in the vicinity of the multi-package group. The master node mayrequest authorization from the server to associate the other packagewith the existing multi-package group. If the server determines that theother package is intended to ship with the multi-package group, theserver instructs the master node to merge one or more other packageswith currently grouped set of packages. After all packages are groupedtogether, the server authorizes the multi-package group to ship. In someembodiments, this process may involve releasing the multi-package groupfrom a containment area (e.g., customs holding area) in a shipmentfacility.

In some embodiments, the peripheral nodes 1158, 1160, 1162 includeenvironmental sensors for obtaining information regarding environmentalcharacteristics (e.g., temperature, humidity, pressure, chemical, etc.)in the vicinity of the associated packages 1159, 1161, 1163. Examples ofsuch environmental sensors include temperature sensors, humiditysensors, acceleration sensors, vibration sensors, shock sensors,pressure sensors, altitude sensors, light sensors, and orientationsensors.

In the illustrated embodiment, the master node 1151 can determine itsown location based on geolocation data transmitted by a satellite-basedradio navigation system 1170 (e.g., GPS, GLONASS, and NAVSTAR) andreceived by the GPS receiver 1154 component of the master node 1151. Inan alternative embodiment, the location of the master pallet node 1151can be determined using cellular based navigation techniques that usemobile communication technologies (e.g., GSM, GPRS, CDMA, etc.) toimplement one or more cell-based localization techniques. After themaster node 1151 has ascertained its location, the distance of each ofthe packages 1159, 1161, 1163 from the master node 1151 can be estimatedbased on the average signal strength of the advertising packets that themaster node 1151 receives from the respective peripheral node. Themaster node 1151 can then transmit its own location and the locations ofthe package nodes E, F, and G to a server over a cellular interfaceconnection with a cellular network 1172. Other methods of determiningthe distance of each of the packages 1159, 1161, 1163 from the masternode 1151, such as Received Signal-Strength Index (RSSI) based indoorlocalization techniques, also may be used.

In some embodiments, after determining its own location and thelocations of the peripheral nodes, the master node 1151 reports thelocation data and the collected and optionally processed (e.g., eitherby the peripheral nodes peripheral nodes 1158, 1160, 1162 or the masternode 1151) sensor data to a server over a cellular communication path1171 on a cellular network 1172.

In some examples, nodes are able to autonomously detect logisticsexecution errors if packages that are supposed to travel together nolonger travel together and raise an alert. For example, a node (e.g.,the master node 1151 or one of the peripheral nodes 1158, 1160, 1162)alerts the server when the node determines that a particular package1159 is being or has already been improperly separated from the group ofpackages. The node may determine that there has been an improperseparation of the particular package 1159 in a variety of ways. Forexample, the associated peripheral node 1158 that is bound to theparticular package 1159 may include an accelerometer that generates asignal in response to movement of the package from the pallet. Inaccordance with its intelligent agent program code, the associatedperipheral node 1158 determines that the master node 1151 has notdisassociated the particular package 1159 from the group and thereforebroadcasts advertising packets to the master node, which causes themaster node 1151 to monitor the average signal strength of theadvertising packets and, if the master node 1151 determines that thesignal strength is decreasing over time, the master node 1151 will issuean alert either locally (e.g., through a speaker component of the masternode 1151) or to the server.

Referring to FIG. 11D, a truck 1180 is configured as a mobile node ormobile hub that includes a cellular communications interface 1182, amedium-power communications interface 1184, and a low powercommunications interface 1186. The communications interfaces 1180-1186may be implemented on one or more tape and non-tape nodes. In anillustrative scenario, the truck 1180 visits a logistic storagefacility, such as a warehouse 1188, to wirelessly obtain temperaturedata generated by temperature sensors in the medium range nodes 1190,1192, 1194. The warehouse 1188 contains nodes 1190, 1192, and 1194 thatare associated with respective logistic containers 1191, 1193, 1195. Inthe illustrated embodiment, each node 1190-1094 is a medium range nodethat includes a respective medium power communications interface 1196,1102, 1108, a respective low power communications interface 1198, 1104,1110 and one or more respective sensors 1100, 1106, 1112. In theillustrated embodiment, each of the package nodes 1190, 1192, 1194 andthe truck 1180 is connected to each of the other ones of the packagenodes through a respective medium power communications path (shown bydashed lines). In some embodiments, the medium power communicationspaths are LoRa formatted communication paths.

In some embodiments, the communications interfaces 1184 and 1186 (e.g.,a LoRa communications interface and a Bluetooth Low Energycommunications interface) on the node on the truck 1180 is programmed tobroadcast advertisement packets to establish connections with othernetwork nodes within range of the truck node. A warehouse 1188 includesmedium range nodes 1190, 1192, 1194 that are associated with respectivelogistic containers 1191, 1193, 1195 (e.g., packages, boxes, pallets,and the like). When the truck node's low power interface 1186 is withinrange of any of the medium range nodes 1190, 1192, 1194 and one or moreof the medium range nodes is operating in a listening mode, the mediumrange node will extract the address of truck node and potentially otherinformation (e.g., security information) from the advertising packet.If, according to its programmatic code, the truck node determines thatit is authorized to connect to one of the medium range nodes 1190, 1192,1194, the truck node will attempt to pair with the medium range node. Inthis process, the truck node and the medium range node determine eachother's identities, capabilities, and services. For example, aftersuccessfully establishing a communication path with the truck node(e.g., a Bluetooth Low Energy formatted communication path 1114 or aLoRa formatted communication path 1117), the truck node determines theidentity information for the medium range node 1190 (e.g., a peripheralnode), the medium range node's capabilities include retrievingtemperature data, and the medium range node's services includetransmitting temperature data to other nodes. Depending of the size ofthe warehouse 1188, the truck 1180 initially may communicate with thenodes 1190, 1192, 1194 using a low power communications interface (e.g.,Bluetooth Low Energy interface). If any of the anticipated nodes failsto respond to repeated broadcasts of advertising packets by the truck1180, the truck 1180 will try to communicate with the non-responsivenodes using a medium power communications interface (e.g., LoRainterface). In response to a request from the medium-power communicationinterface 1184, the medium range node 1190 transmits an indication ofits measured temperature data to the truck node. The truck node repeatsthe process for each of the other medium range nodes 1192, 1194 thatgenerate temperature measurement data in the warehouse 1188. The trucknode reports the collected (and optionally processed, either by themedium range nodes 1190, 1192, 1194 or the truck node) temperature datato a server over a cellular communication path 1116 with a cellularnetwork 1118.

Referring to FIG. 11E, a master node 1130 is associated with a logisticitem 1132 (e.g., a package) and grouped together with other logisticitems 1134, 1136 (e.g., packages) that are associated with respectiveperipheral nodes 1138, 1140. The master node 1130 includes a GPSreceiver 1142, a medium power communications interface 1144, one or moresensors 1146, and a cellular communications interface 1148. Each of theperipheral nodes 1138, 1140 includes a respective medium powercommunications interface 1150, 1152 and one or more respective sensors1154, 1156. In the illustrated embodiment, the peripheral and masternodes are connected to one another other over respective pairwisecommunications paths (shown by dashed lines). In some embodiments, thenodes 1130, 1138, 1140 communicate through respective LoRacommunications interfaces over LoRa formatted communications paths 1158,1160, 1162.

In the illustrated embodiment, the master and peripheral nodes 1130,1138, 1140 include environmental sensors for obtaining informationregarding environmental characteristics in the vicinity of theassociated logistic items 1132, 1134, 1136. Examples of suchenvironmental sensors include temperature sensors, humidity sensors,acceleration sensors, vibration sensors, shock sensors, pressuresensors, altitude sensors, light sensors, and orientation sensors.

In accordance with the programmatic code stored in its memory, themaster node 1130 periodically broadcasts advertising packets in thesurrounding area. When the peripheral nodes 1138, 1140 are within rangeof master node 1130, and are operating in a listening mode, theperipheral nodes 1138, 1140 will extract the address of master node 1130and potentially other information (e.g., security information) from theadvertising packets. If, according to their respective programmaticcode, the peripheral nodes 1138, 1140 determine that they are authorizedto connect to the master node 1130, the peripheral nodes 1138, 1140 willattempt to pair with the master node 1130. In this process, theperipheral nodes 1138, 1140 and the master node 1130 determine eachother's identities, capabilities, and services. For example, aftersuccessfully establishing a respective communication path 1158, 1160with each of the peripheral nodes 1138, 1140 (e.g., a LoRa formattedcommunication path), the master node 1130 determines certain informationabout the peripheral nodes 1138, 1140, such as their identityinformation (e.g., peripheral nodes), their capabilities (e.g.,measuring temperature data), and their services include transmittingtemperature data to other nodes.

After establishing LoRa formatted communications paths 1158, 1160 withthe peripheral nodes 1138, 1140, the master node 1130 transmits requestsfor the peripheral nodes 1138, 1140 to transmit their measured and/orlocally processed temperature data to the master node 1130.

In the illustrated embodiment, the master node 1130 can determine itsown location based on geolocation data transmitted by a satellite-basedradio navigation system 1166 (e.g., GPS, GLONASS, and NAVSTAR) andreceived by the GPS receiver 1142 component of the master node 1130. Inan alternative embodiment, the location of the master node 1130 can bedetermined using cellular based navigation techniques that use mobilecommunication technologies (e.g., GSM, GPRS, CDMA, etc.) to implementone or more cell-based localization techniques. After the master node1130 has ascertained its location, the distance of each of the logisticitems 1134, 1136 from the master node 1130 can be estimated based on theaverage signal strength of the advertising packets that the master node1130 receives from the respective peripheral node. The master node 1130can then transmit its own location and the locations of the packagenodes H, J, and I to a server over a cellular interface connection witha cellular network 1172. Other methods of determining the distance ofeach of the logistic items 1134, 1136 from the master node 1130, such asReceived Signal-Strength Index (RSSI) based indoor localizationtechniques, also may be used.

In some embodiments, after determining its own location and thelocations of the peripheral nodes, the master node 1130 reports thelocation data, the collected and optionally processed (e.g., either bythe peripheral nodes peripheral nodes 1138, 1140 or the master node1130) sensor data to a server over a cellular communication path 1170 ona cellular network 1172.

FIG. 12 shows a network 1200 formed by a master agent 1232 attached toan example asset 1230 (also referred to herein as parcels, boxes,containers, etc.), a secondary agent 1236 attached to an example cabinet1234, and a tertiary agent 1240 attached to example infrastructure 1238.In some embodiments, the agent 1232 is not the master agent and one ofthe secondary or tertiary agents 1236, 1240 is the master agent. In someembodiments, no agent 1232, 1236, 1240 is the master agent, and theagents share managerial roles. The tape agents 1232, 1236, 1240 areassociated with their respective objects (e.g., the asset 1230, thecabinet 1234, and the infrastructure 1238), but are not limited to theseexample objects. For example, the tape agents 1232, 1236, 1240 may beassociated with any object such as infrastructure (e.g., walls, pillars,buildings, etc.) or vehicles (e.g., automobiles, planes, ships, trains,drones, etc.) or any other such physical object. For example, the masteragent 1232 may attach to a package (e.g., the asset 1230) and thesecondary and tertiary agents 1236, 1240 may each attach toinfrastructure, such as a wall or a building.

In the example of FIG. 12 , the master-agent 1232 is a child-node (asdiscussed in table 1329, with reference to FIG. 13 ), has a low-powerwireless-communications interface (e.g., low-power communicationinterface 652 of FIG. 6A implementing Bluetooth LE), and is optionallymarked with a white-colorant. The secondary agent 1236 is anintermediate-node (as discussed in table 1329), has a low-powerwireless-communications interface and a medium-powercommunications-interface (e.g., medium-power communication interface672′ of FIG. 6B implementing LoRa), and is optionally marked with agreen-colorant. The tertiary agent 1240 is a parent node (as discussedin table 1329), has three low-power communications capabilities (e.g.,each implementing a different one of Bluetooth LE, NFC, and RFID), amedium power communications interface, and a high-power communicationsinterface (e.g., high-power communication interface 682″ of FIG. 6Cimplementing cellular), and is optionally marked with a black colorant.

In addition to packaging applications, the master, secondary, andtertiary agents 1232, 1236, and 1240 may be deployed on or withinphysical premises, such as buildings, warehouses, and otherinfrastructure. For example, the secondary and tertiary agents 1236,1240 are deployed on physical premises infrastructure (e.g., walls,doors, and conveyor systems), vehicles (e.g., fork lifts, trucks, andcarts), and objects (e.g., boxes, packages, documents, coffee mugs,cabinets). In another example, the second and tertiary agents 1236, 1240are deployed sporadically or periodically in room of a storage facility,such as where one of the second and tertiary agents 1236, 1240 isdeployed on every fifth cabinet housing 1234 in infrastructure 1238,where the cabinet housings store multiple packages 1230 with masteragents 1232 attached thereto.

In some embodiments, one or more of the master agent 1232, the secondaryagent 1236, and the tertiary agent 1240 receive data, from the server,that includes descriptions of the resources that are available from themaster agents 1232 over the network 1200. Examples of such resources aresensors, such as a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, and anacceleration sensor; communication interfaces, such as Bluetoothcommunications interfaces, LoRa communications interfaces, and cellularcommunications interfaces; power sources, such as mains power andbattery power; and memory resources. In one operational example, whenthe master agent (child node) detects that it has insufficient resourcesto complete a task, the master agent broadcasts, to other agents withinwireless range, a request asking whether the insufficiency (e.g., asensor required to collect data of a certain type, such as a vibrationsensor to collect vibration data, and accelerometer to detect movement,etc.) may be remedied by at least one of the other agents sharing one ormore resources (e.g., sensors, such as a vibration sensor or anaccelerometer). In this example, the master agent (child node)broadcasts, using low power communication interface 652 of FIG. 6A, amessage requesting the type of resource required and a deadline forcompleting the task. If at least one other agent in the environment ofthe master agent that receives the message is able to satisfy therequest, the other agent sends a reply message to the master agent(child node). Where multiple agents respond, the master agent (childnode) may select one of the multiple agents to provide the resourcebased on one or more criteria (e.g., the first agent to reply to therequest). Accordingly, the master agent (child node) may receive aconfirmation message from the other agent indicating that the requestedtask either was completed or was not completed. Depending on the type oftask to be performed by the selected agent, the master agent (childnode) may or may not receive a data payload in the confirmation message.

FIG. 13 is a table 1329 showing attributes of the three different typesof agent platforms: master agent, secondary agent, and tertiary agent.This table 1329 may be preprogrammed into the memory (e.g., 658, 658′,658″, FIG. 6A-6C) of each agent, where the processors (e.g., 650, 650′,650″, FIG. 6A-6C) of each agent may execute instructions according tothe role of each agent. The left column of table 1329 lists theattributes of the master agent. Among the attributes of the master agentare a master agent role (e.g., the agent may have a role that includesdirecting other agents to perform predetermined functions, such asinstructing other master agents, or secondary or tertiary agents, toperform the predetermined functions); a child agent (e.g., the childagent may have a role that includes being directed by a parent agent toperform predetermined functions according to the parent-agent'sinstructions) placement in physical premises (a peripheral or leaf nodeplacement); and a low-power wireless-communications interface (e.g., aBluetooth LE communications interface or a Zigbee communicationsinterface), the medium-power wireless communications interface, or thehigh-power wireless-communications interface. The master agent roleattribute enables the master agent to exercise unilateral control overother non-master types of agents, such as a secondary agent and atertiary agent. However, when the secondary or tertiary agent is aparent and the master agent is a child, the parent may instruct thechild to perform tasks. The child node attribute configurationcorresponds to a peripheral end node or leaf node that interacts in aparticular environment (e.g., physical premises, such as a building,warehouse, loading dock, etc.).

In some embodiments, the master agents may request resources or datafrom the secondary and tertiary agents. The requested resources may beto complete specific functions or tasks that the master agent isconfigured to perform. In some cases, the master agent does not have thecapabilities, components, or configuration associated with the requestedresources or data, and may rely on the secondary and tertiary agents toprovide the resources and data. For example, a master agent may notinclude a GPS sensor, but may determine its relative location byrequesting location data from a secondary or tertiary agent nearby thatis equipped with a GPS sensor.

The center column of table 1329 lists the attributes of the secondaryagent. Among the attributes of the secondary agent are a secondary agentrole (e.g., the secondary agent may include a medium-powerwireless-communication interface, such as indicated with reference toFIG. 6B, that may communicate with a stationary or mobile gateway); anintermediate parent-node placement in a physical premises withincommunication range of one or more child nodes (e.g., a master agentchild node) and optionally within communication range of one or more ofthe tertiary agent parent nodes; and low and intermediate-powerwireless-communications interfaces (e.g., Bluetooth LE and LoRacommunications interfaces). The intermediate parent-node attributeconfiguration corresponds to an intermediate node that communicates withthe child nodes in the physical premises and communicates with thetertiary agent. In the illustrated embodiment, the secondary agent mayalso have a low-power wireless-communications interface (e.g., BluetoothLE communications interface) for communicating with the child nodes anda medium-power wireless-communications interface (e.g., LoRacommunications interface) for communicating with a parent node (e.g., atertiary agent) or server node (e.g., a stationary gateway) overlonger-distance wireless-communication links. In the illustratedembodiment, the communications interfaces of the secondary tape agentare backward compatible with the child nodes.

The right column of table 1329 lists the attributes of the tertiaryagent. Among the attributes of the tertiary agent are a tertiary agentrole; a placement in relation to the physical premises that is withinrange of the of the secondary agent and optionally within communicationrange of one or more of the master agents; and low, intermediate, andhigh-power communications interfaces (e.g., with reference to FIG. 6C,that may include Bluetooth LE, LoRa, Cellular, NFC, and RFIDcommunications interfaces) for communicating with the master andsecondary agents. In the illustrated embodiment, the communicationsinterfaces of the tertiary agent are backward compatible with the masterand secondary agents.

A master agent (master node) may include a low-powerwireless-communication interface configured to communicate withsecondary and tertiary agents (intelligent nodes) within a proximity(e.g., wireless range) of the low-power wireless-communicationinterface. A secondary agent (node) may be configured to executeinstructions received from the master agent (master node) and thesecondary agent may include one or both of a low-powerwireless-communication interface and a medium-powerwireless-communication interface. The medium-powerwireless-communication interface may have a longer range ofcommunication than the low-power wireless-communication interface, asdiscussed above. A tertiary agent (tertiary node) may be configured toexecute instructions received from the master agent (master node) andthe tertiary node may include one or more of a low-powerwireless-communication interface, a medium-power wireless-communicationinterface, and a high-power wireless-communication interface. Thehigh-power wireless-communication interface may have a longer range ofcommunication than the low-power wireless-communication and medium-powerwireless-communication interfaces and may be configured to wirelesslycommunicate with a server associated with the network.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating one example scenario of tapenodes of a wireless sensing system capturing differential data for anasset management application. The tape nodes collaborate to detectemergent events using one or more sensors and to alert users of thewireless sensing system when an event occurs. A set of nodes of thewireless sensing system is associated with one or more areas or assetswherein a differential in sensor data is valuable in detecting events.The set of nodes may be defined based on their location (e.g., within aroom, in a cabinet, etc.). Example areas include refrigeration units,storage areas including cold chain assets, cabinets including machineryor electronic components presenting a fire hazard, storage areas whereinvacuum or other pressure conditions are required, and the like.

In the example of FIG. 14 , the white tape nodes 1420A-D and the greentape node 1410 are within the same area. Each of the at least one whitetape node 1420A-D and the green tape node 1410 includes at least oneenvironmental sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor, a vibration sensor, anaccelerometer, a gyroscope, humidity sensor, etc.) and a low-powerwireless communications system such as Bluetooth. The at least one greentape node 1410 further includes at least one longer-distance wirelesscommunications capability. Further, the green tape node 1410 may onlyhave the low-power wireless-communications interface (e.g., BluetoothLow Energy), and there may be a separate gateway tape node orline-powered gateway in Bluetooth Low Energy range that communicateswith the green tape node 1410 for getting data up to the server 804. Thetape nodes of the wireless sensing system are deployed throughout alocation (e.g., a shipping port, checkpoint, shipping center, etc.) orarea of interest (e.g., cabinet, room, etc.) such that each white tapenode 1420A-D of one or more white tape nodes is able to communicate withat least one green tape node 1410. The location or area of interest maynot be predetermined, but rather the set of tape nodes are defined basedon where they are deployed. For example, each white tape node within acabinet may be defined as a first set; each white tape node within aserver rack may be defined as a second set; etc. The green tape node1410 is therefore able to act as an intermediate between the one or morewhite tape nodes 1410 and other nodes of the wireless sensing system(e.g., by receiving and transmitting data between the one or more whitetape nodes and gateway nodes, servers, clouds, or other nodes of thewireless sensing system 800), reducing an amount of high-powercommunications performed by the one or more white tape nodes. In anexample, the tape nodes are deployed such that one or more largecabinets 1405 storing assets 1415A-D (such as machinery, packages, etc.)each include a plurality of white tape nodes 1420A-D, which areassociated with assets 1415A-D, within communications distance of atleast one green tape node 1410, e.g., the white tape nodes 1420A-D aredeployed within a large cabinet (attached to assets 1420A-D within thecabinet 1405) and the green tape node 1410 is adhered or affixed to anexternal surface of the large cabinet 1405.

The tape nodes capture sensor data of current environmentalcharacteristics (e.g., temperature, humidity, pressure, etc.) around thetape nodes. In the example of FIG. 14 , white tape nodes 1420A-D (e.g.,the tape agent 1232) are attached to packages 1415A-D (e.g., package1230) that are stored within the cabinet 1405 (e.g., cabinet 1234)capture internal environmental data corresponding to relative positionswithin the cabinet 1405, and green tape nodes 1410 (e.g., secondaryagent 1236) deployed on external surfaces of the cabinet 1405 or in asurrounding area (e.g., on a wall of the room where the cabinet 1405 islocated) capture external environmental data corresponding to asurrounding environment in a room. In an embodiment, the white tapenodes 1420 communicate measured environmental data to a correspondinggreen tape 1410 in real-time or at intervals (e.g., in 5 s intervals,1-minute intervals, etc.). Responsive to receiving the measured internalenvironmental data, the green tape node 1410 computes an environmentaldifferential between internal environmental data captured by the whitetape nodes 1420A-D and external environmental data captured by the greentape node 1410 and determines whether an event is occurring based on adifferential between the measured environments being outside a definedrange.

In some embodiments, the defined range may be based on the actual valuemeasured by either the green tape node 1410 or the white tape node 1420.For example, when a white tape node 1420 reports an exceptionally highvalue (e.g., a temperature far exceeding an acceptable temperature, suchas 50 degrees Celsius above an acceptable temperature for an asset),regardless of the differential, an event may be detected. For example,this may include events when a window is broken and the externalenvironmental data (e.g., temperature) reached steady state with theinternal environmental data, and an event based on a differential inenvironmental would not be detected. For example, if there is anearthquake and the environmental data is vibration data, the asset maybe damaged, although no discernable difference between the internal andexternal environmental data is detected. Any condition for setting anevent is within the scope of this application, e.g., an absolute valueof the internal or external environmental data. In some embodiments,prior to comparing the internal environmental data to the externalenvironmental data, the green tape node 1410 may compare each of themeasurements of internal environmental data from each white tape node1420A-D.

The environmental differential may be determined by subtracting likecharacteristics of the internal environmental data (e.g., in the form ofa numerical value of specific units such as Fahrenheit, Pascals, etc.)collected by the white tape nodes 1420A-D from the externalenvironmental data collected by the green tape nodes 1410. In someembodiments, the determined environmental differential of eachcharacteristic is compared to a predetermined environmental thresholdfor that characteristic that defines an acceptable range. If thecomparison yields a value that is outside the acceptable range for anyone of the characteristics the green tape node 1410 may generate anotification or an alert. For example, the environmental data includesmultiple measured environmental characteristics (temperaturecharacteristic, humidity characteristic, pressure characteristic, etc.).For example, the temperature characteristic collected by the white tapenodes 1420A-D and green tape node 1410 is 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 50degrees Fahrenheit, respectively, and the resulting environmentaldifferential for the temperature characteristic is 20 degreesFahrenheit. Where the temperature characteristic threshold is plus orminus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, the threshold is exceeded and, in response,the green tape node generates the notification and/or the alert fortransmittal to the server, a client device (e.g., the mobile gateway810) operated by a user, and/or nearby tape nodes. The alert may includeinstructions on how to remedy the environmental differential and anydata collected by the white tape nodes 1420A-D and/or green tape nodes1410. Similar evaluation is made for all characteristics of theenvironmental data, e.g., humidity data, vibration data, pressure data,etc.

In some embodiments, the white tape nodes 1420A-D transmit the collectedinternal environmental data to the green tape nodes 1410, and the greentape nodes 1410 compute the environmental differential between theinternal environmental data and the external environmental data.Further, the green tape nodes 1410 store the predetermined environmentalthresholds locally and compare the environmental differential to thepredetermined environmental threshold, to determine if the threshold isexceeded. In some embodiments, both the white tape nodes 1420A-D and thegreen tape nodes 1410 transmit the collected internal and externalenvironmental data to a server (e.g., server 804), where theenvironmental differential and comparison is computed.

A high temperature differential between internal and externaltemperature readings (e.g., wherein one white tape 1420A-D measurementis significantly higher than the green tape 1410 measurements), indicatean event, such as a fire, within the cabinet, or asset/machineryoverheating. In another example, where white tape nodes 1420A-D areattached to cold chain assets stored in a refrigeration unit, a highnegative temperature differential indicates normal operation and a lowtemperature differential indicates that the refrigeration unit is nolonger working. In yet another example, the white tape nodes 1420A-D maybe applied to servers within a data center and the green tape nodes 1410are applied to one or more server racks or to walls throughout the datacenter; a high temperature differential between the server and theserver rack or the data center may indicate that the server isoverheating.

In another example of operation, multiple green tape nodes 1410 aredeployed in the same area (e.g., on different cabinets within a room,such as a data center), whereby at least one of the green tape nodes1410 determines an average temperature for the area. For example, thegreen tape nodes 1410 are attached to one in every five server racksthroughout a data center and white tape nodes 1420A-D are attached toevery other server within a server rack). The green tape nodes 1410 maycollectively determine (e.g., average) a temperature throughout theentire data center, or may determine a temperature for each quadrant ofthe data center. For each quadrant, the green tape nodes 1410 collecttemperature data and determine an average temperature of the quadrants,and may compare that average temperature to other quadrants.Advantageously, the green tape nodes may thereby identify a fire or abroken cooling unit within any one of the quadrants of the data center.

In some embodiments, the tape nodes 1410, 1420A, B comprise additionalor different sensors. For example, the tape nodes comprise pressuresensors, accelerometers, or other data sensors configured to capturedata, and the green tape node 1410 computes a differential for datacaptured by white tape nodes 1420A, B and the green tape node 1410 anddetermines, based on the computed differential, whether an event isoccurring. For example, the acceleration sensor of a white tape node1420A-D may detect an acceleration that exceeds the collectedacceleration of the green tape node 1410. This acceleration differentialmay be compared to a predetermined acceleration, and may exceed anenvironmental (acceleration differential), indicating that the asset thewhite tape node 1420A-D was attached thereto has fallen, is beingstolen, etc. For example, a vibration differential between a white tapenode 1420A-D and a green tape node 1410 may exceed a predeterminedvibration differential, indicating someone is attempting to steal theasset that the white tape node is attached thereto.

Responsive to the green tape node 1410 determining the threshold isexceeded, the green tape node 1410 transmits an alert to a user of thewireless sensing system (e.g., the wireless sensing system 800). In someembodiments, the green tape node communicates with a gateway (e.g.,mobile gateway 810, 812 or stationary gateway 814), server (e.g., server804), or cloud of the wireless sensing system (e.g., wireless sensingsystem 800). In some embodiments, the green tape node 1410 communicateswith a mobile or wearable device, e.g., client application of a mobilephone or smart watch (e.g., mobile gateway 810 employing a clientapplication 822), of the user. In some embodiments, the green tape node1410 communicates with an electronic circuit associated with the assetor area of interest, e.g., a flashing light circuit mounted to a wall,an acoustic alarm, or the like. In embodiments where the serverdetermines the threshold is exceeded, the server may alert the userthrough the various methods described herein.

In some embodiments, the wireless sensing system guides a user of thewireless sensing system to a location of the event and instructs a userto perform certain actions. For example, the wireless sensing systemcommunicates information describing the event, including a location andtype of event, to the mobile device of the user. In embodiments, whenthe green tape node 1410 (or the server) determines the threshold isexceeded, the green tape node 1410 (or the server) communicates to amobile device to display a pin (e.g., pin 1505) within a map displayedon a user interface of the mobile device, to indicate the location ofthe event (e.g., where the white tape node 1420A-D and/or the green tapenode 1410 indicate the exceeded threshold).

FIGS. 15A-B are screenshots of an example user interface using augmentedreality to guide a user to a location where an environmentaldifferential has exceeded a threshold. In the embodiment of FIG. 15A,the user interface 1510 displays a map representation of a building orarea of interest and identifies the location of the event using one ormore of a pin 1505, instructions 1515, a guiding arrow 1520, or othervisual or audio signals. In an embodiment, the map representation of thebuilding or area of interest is selected based on the client devicelocation determined by the wireless sensing system 800 (e.g., GPS datacommunicated by satellite). For example, the indications on the map maybe updated by the wireless sensing system 800 in response to the tapenodes (e.g., the white tape nodes 1420A-D and the green tape nodes 1410)transmitting location data to the server 804 of the wireless sensingsystem 800. In other embodiments, the map representation of the buildingor area of interest is determined based on the sensor data (e.g.,environmental data, location data, etc.) captured by the tape nodes(e.g., the white tape nodes 1420A-D and the green tape nodes 1410) ofthe wireless sensing system 800, e.g., based on paths of frequenttraffic through a building or area of interest, locations of assets,historic movement through the building or area of interest, and thelike. In embodiments, the client application (e.g., client application822 of the wireless sensing system 800) generates the display within theuser interface 1510 of the client device, illustrated in both FIGS. 15A,B. In one example, the client application receives data from the serveror the tape nodes and updates the user interface 1510 in real-time.

In the example of FIG. 15B, the user interface 1510 comprises anaugmented reality interface, where pins 1565 (e.g., pins 1505), guidingarrows 1570 (e.g., guiding arrows 1520), instructions 1560 (e.g.,instructions 1515), or other visual or audio signals are overlaid onreal-time video or image data captured through a camera of the mobiledevice 1500. For example, the client application (e.g., clientapplication 822) controls the mobile device 1500 to captures image orvideo data through the camera and applies one or more pins 1565, arrows1570, and text instructions 1560 to the captured image or video datadisplayed on the mobile device 1500 to guide the user to the location ofthe event and to perform one or more actions to address the event or toallow the user to address the event. In another embodiment, the userinterface 1510 comprises an augmented reality interface generated atleast in part using one or more augmented reality algorithms, e.g., 3Dor AR view, and sensor data from one or more tape nodes of the wirelesssensing system.

In an embodiment, the user interface 1510 display may switch from themap display (FIG. 15A) to the AR display (FIG. 15B) when the mobiledevice is within a predefined radius (e.g., 5 feet, 10 feet, etc.) ofthe white tape node (e.g., white tape node 1420A-D) or the green tapenode (e.g., the green tape node 1410) associated with the event. Forexample, as the user enters the room containing the white tape node andthe green tape nodes, the client application running on the mobiledevice 1500 activates the camera and displays the live feed with the ARoverlay of the pin 1565 near the white tape node attached to the asset.The user interface 1550 may also display a guiding arrow 1570 to guidethe user to the asset, and may display instructions 1560 guiding theuser to the asset.

In an embodiment, the user interface 1550 includes one or moreinteractable elements. For example, the pins 1565 representative of thetape nodes deployed in a building or area of interest may be selectable,whereupon the user interface 1510 provides information (e.g., a currentor most recent sensor data point, a graphical representation ofcollected sensor data, a name or identifier associated with the tapenode, a status of the tape node, or other information) associated withthe corresponding tape node. The user interface 1550 may incorporatedifferent elements and may use combinations of map data, graphicalrepresentations of reality, image or video data, and the like, withoutdeparting from the scope hereof. Further, the pin 1565, 1505, upon beingselected, may cause the user interface 1550 to display informationassociated with the white tape nodes, the green tape nodes, and/or thecollected environmental data. For example, the associated informationmay include temperature data collected by the white tape nodes and thegreen tape nodes, and the temperature differential between the twocollected temperatures. Further, the associated information may includethe type of asset and corresponding safety information so that the useris aware of any potential injuries and may prepare to take actionaccordingly. For example, where the asset is a piece of machinery andthe environmental differential is a temperature differential of 100degrees Fahrenheit, the information may include a warning that the assetis very hot and to use specific gloves when handling the asset.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating one example method 1600 for usingenvironmental data differentials to detect an event in asset managementapplications. A first tape node (e.g., the green tape node 1410) of awireless sensing system (e.g., wireless sensing system 800) captures(1605) a first set of environmental data (e.g., temperature data,vibration data, humidity data, biological data, etc.) of at least oneenvironmental characteristic (e.g., temperature, pressure, humidity,etc.). In one example of block 1605, the first tape node capturestemperature in an area proximate to the first tape node. For example,the environmental characteristic is ambient temperature of an areasurrounding a cabinet 1405 the green tape node 1410 is attached thereto.

A second tape node (e.g., white tape node 1420A) captures (1610) asecond set of environmental data. In one example of block 1610, the atleast one environmental characteristic corresponds to an internaltemperature of a room, asset, storage container, refrigeration unit,cabinet, machinery, or the like, such as temperature of an area aroundwhite tape node 1420A applied to asset 1415A located within a cabinet1405. The first tape node receives (1615) the second set ofenvironmental data from the second tape node. In one example of block1615, the second tape node transmits the second set of environmentaldata to the first tape node. In some example of block 1615, the secondtape node transmits the second set of environmental data to a server(e.g., server 804), and the server relays the second set ofenvironmental data to the first tape node.

The first tape node computes (1620) an environmental differential (e.g.,a difference between the temperature collected by the first tape nodeand the second tape node, as described with reference to FIG. 14 ) basedon the first set of environmental data and the second set ofenvironmental data. Responsive to the computing, the first tape nodedetermines (1625) that the environmental differential has exceeded apredetermined environmental threshold. For example, the first tape nodedetermines the environmental threshold has exceeded a predeterminedenvironmental threshold by comparing the environmental differential to apredetermined environmental threshold, as described above with referenceto FIG. 14 . In some embodiments, the predetermined environmentalthreshold is stored locally within memory of the first tape node. Insome embodiments, a server receives both sets of environmental data fromthe first tape node, performs both the computing (1620) and thedetermining (1625) steps, and then transmits the results to the firsttape node.

Method 1600 further includes the first tape node transmitting (1630) toa client application running on a nearby electronic device of thewireless sensing system, a notification that an environmental thresholdhas been exceeded. For example, the first tape node transmits anotification of the event to a gateway (e.g., mobile gateway 810, 812and/or stationary gateway 814), server (e.g., server 804), or cloud ofthe wireless sensing system (e.g., the wireless sensing system 800),accessible by the client application. In another embodiment, the firsttape node transmits a notification of the threshold being exceeded tothe server, that is accessible to a client application running on a userdevice, e.g., a smart phone, smart watch, or other mobile or wearabledevice (e.g., the mobile device 1500). In some embodiments, the clientapplication generates an indication, using a pin, on a map displayed bythe client device, where the first or second tape nodes are located(i.e., the location of the event), along with information associatedwith the first and second tape nodes and both sets of collectedenvironmental data, as described with reference to FIGS. 15A, B. Inembodiments, the notification is transmitted to an electronic circuit(e.g., a flashing light circuit mounted to a wall, an acoustic alarm,and so on) associated or located proximate to the first and/or secondtape nodes.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating one example method 1700 forpresenting an augmented reality (AR) overlay of an area of an eventassociated with an environmental threshold being exceeded. Method 1700is implemented by mobile device 1500 of FIG. 15 , for example. Method1700 includes receiving (1705) a notification, from a tape node, of anevent indicating that an environmental threshold being exceeded andassociated information. For example, the tape node is the green tapenode 1410 and transmits the environmental differential to the clientdevice when the environmental threshold is exceeded, as described withreference to FIGS. 14-16 .

Method 1700 further includes displaying (1710) a digital representationof a map including a location of the event within a graphical userinterface (e.g., the user interface 1510, FIG. 15A). In someembodiments, the map includes guiding features (e.g., the instructions1515, the arrow 1520, etc.) that directs a user to the location of wherean event was detected by a tape node. In some embodiments, the clientdevice may transmit location data of the client device to the server 804or the tape node (e.g., the green tape node 1410) to update the map (andthe guiding features) in real-time as the user traverses towards thetape node.

Method 1700 further includes displaying (1715) a graphical icon (e.g.,the pin 1505) within the map, at a location of the event. In someembodiments, the client device may provide the associated informationand health and safety information, in response to receiving user inputin the form of a user selecting the dropped pin. For example, theassociated information and health and safety information may include theenvironmental differential (e.g., a temperature differential of 50degrees Fahrenheit) and a warning that the asset is very hot and to usespecific gloves when handling the asset.

Method 1700 further includes, upon the client device being within athreshold distance of the tape node, activating (1720) livevideo-footage of the camera associated with the client device. In oneexample of block 1720, the client application activates the camera ofthe client device when the client device is within ten meters of thetape node. Method 1700 further includes displaying (1725), within a GUIof the client device, an augmented reality (AR) overlay, indicating thelocation of the event, over the live-video footage. In one example ofblock 1725, the client application generates the display of the ARoverlay over the live video-footage. For example, the user interface1550 may generate the AR overlay as shown in FIG. 15B. For example, theAR overlay may include the instructions 1560, the pin 1565, the arrow1570, etc. In some embodiments, the client device does not displayaugmented reality overlay over the live video-footage, but ratherdisplays the AR overlay over a photo of the tape node, and thesurrounding environment, stored in memory of the, or retrieved from theserver from, client device.

FIG. 18 shows an example embodiment of computer apparatus 1820 that,either alone or in combination with one or more other computingapparatus, is operable to implement one or more of the computer systemsdescribed in this specification. For example, computer apparatus 1820may represent any of the segments, 640, 670, 680, server 804, mobilegateway 810, 810, the stationary gateway 814, tape nodes 816, 818, 824,828, 832, 842-848, 859, 860, the client device 1500, etc. The computerapparatus 1820 includes a processing unit 1822, a system memory 1824,and a system bus 1826 that couples the processing unit 1822 to thevarious components of the computer apparatus 1820. The processing unit1822 may include one or more data processors, each of which may be inthe form of any one of various commercially available computerprocessors. The system memory 1824 includes one or morecomputer-readable media that typically are associated with a softwareapplication addressing space that defines the addresses that areavailable to software applications. The system memory 1824 may include aread only memory (ROM) that stores a basic input/output system (BIOS)that contains start-up routines for the computer apparatus 1820, and arandom-access memory (RAM). The system bus 1826 may be a memory bus, aperipheral bus, or a local bus, and may be compatible with any of avariety of bus protocols, including PCI, VESA, Microchannel, ISA, andEISA. The computer apparatus 1820 also includes a persistent storagememory 1828 (e.g., a hard drive, a floppy drive, a CD ROM drive,magnetic tape drives, flash memory devices, and digital video disks)that is connected to the system bus 1826 and contains one or morecomputer-readable media disks that provide non-volatile or persistentstorage for data, data structures and computer-executable instructions.

A user may interact (e.g., input commands or data) with the computerapparatus 1820 using one or more input devices 1830 (e.g. one or morekeyboards, computer mice, microphones, cameras, joysticks, physicalmotion sensors, and touch pads). Information may be presented through agraphical user interface (GUI) that is presented to the user on adisplay monitor 1832, which is controlled by a display controller 1834.The computer apparatus 1820 also may include other input/output hardware(e.g., peripheral output devices, such as speakers and a printer). Thecomputer apparatus 1820 connects to other network nodes through anetwork adapter 1836 (also referred to as a “network interface card” orNIC).

A number of program modules may be stored in the system memory 1824,including application programming interfaces 1838 (APIs), an operatingsystem (OS) 1840 (e.g., the Windows® operating system available fromMicrosoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. U.S.A.), software applications1841 including one or more software applications programming thecomputer apparatus 1820 to perform one or more of the steps, tasks,operations, or processes of the positioning and/or tracking systemsdescribed herein, drivers 1842 (e.g., a GUI driver), network transportprotocols 1844, and data 1846 (e.g., input data, output data, programdata, a registry, and configuration settings).

Embodiments of the subject matter described in this specificationinclude methods, processes, systems, apparatus, and tangiblenon-transitory carrier media encoded with one or more programinstructions for carrying out one or more methods and processes forenabling the various functionalities of the described systems andapparatus.

Other features, aspects, objects, and advantages of the subject matterdescribed in this specification will become apparent from thedescription, the drawings, and the claims.

In other embodiments, the method may include additional, fewer, ordifferent steps, and the steps may be performed in a different order. Inother embodiments, steps of the method may be performed by differentcomponents of the sensing system.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the disclosure have beenpresented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed.Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the abovedisclosure.

Some portions of this description describe the embodiments of thedisclosure in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations ofoperations on information. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are commonly used by those skilled in the dataprocessing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively toothers skilled in the art. These operations, while describedfunctionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to beimplemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits,microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient attimes, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, withoutloss of generality. The described operations and their associatedmodules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or anycombinations thereof

Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may beperformed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules,alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, asoftware module is implemented with a computer program productcomprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code,which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or allof the steps, operations, or processes described.

Embodiments of the disclosure may also relate to an apparatus forperforming the operations herein. This apparatus may be speciallyconstructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise ageneral-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfiguredby a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer programmay be stored in a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storagemedium, or any type of media suitable for storing electronicinstructions, which may be coupled to a computer system bus.Furthermore, any computing systems referred to in the specification mayinclude a single processor or may be architectures employing multipleprocessor designs for increased computing capability.

Embodiments of the disclosure may also relate to a product that isproduced by a computing process described herein. Such a product maycomprise information resulting from a computing process, where theinformation is stored on a non-transitory, tangible computer readablestorage medium and may include any embodiment of a computer programproduct or other data combination described herein.

Finally, the language used in the specification has been principallyselected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not havebeen selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter.It is therefore intended that the scope of the disclosure be limited notby this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on anapplication based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodimentsis intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of thedisclosure, which is set forth in the following claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. A wireless sensor device comprising: an environmentalsensor, a wireless communication system of a first type, a processor,and a memory, wherein the wireless sensor device is configured to:capture a first set of environmental data using the environmentalsensor, receive a wireless communication from another wireless node of awireless sensing system associated with the wireless sensor device, thewireless communication comprising a second set of environmental data,compute a differential between the first set of environmental data andthe second set of environmental data, determine that an event hasoccurred based on the computed differential.
 3. The wireless sensordevice of claim 2, wherein the wireless sensor device determines thatthe event has occurred based on the computed differential being above athreshold level.
 4. The wireless sensor device of claim 2, wherein thewireless sensor device determines that the event has occurred based onthe computed differential being below a threshold level.
 5. The wirelesssensor device of claim 2, wherein the environmental sensor is atemperature sensor or a vibration sensor.
 6. The wireless sensor deviceof claim 2, wherein the environmental sensor is an accelerometer.
 7. Thewireless sensor device of claim 2, wherein the wireless sensor device isfurther configured to transmit a notification of the determined event toa client application of a wireless sensing system running on a clientdevice of the associated wireless sensing system.
 8. The wireless sensordevice of claim 3, wherein the notification is further configured totransmit a notification of the determined event to a client applicationof a wireless sensing system running on a client device of theassociated wireless sensing system in response to the computeddifferential being above the threshold level.
 9. The wireless sensordevice of claim 2, wherein a wireless sensing system tracks a locationof the wireless sensor device based on wireless communications betweenthe wireless sensor device and other wireless nodes of the wirelesssensing system.